The Means to an End
by KTM250
Summary: Doccubus 100%. Tamsin is an NSA agent who knows too much and has called on Bo who has gone rogue from the CIA to help. Lauren is a Senator and the head of the Intelligence subcommittee who is pulled in to help stop this conspiracy before it is too late. AH/OC/AU/OOC
1. Chapter 1

AN - First story. R/R if you like. Let me know things and what you think

Bo POV

It has been two days since I received the cryptic email from Tamsin demanding that I go dark and return to DC. Years ago Tamsin and I set up a system of communication involving encoded and encrypted email correspondence sent to dummy accounts in case we ever needed to reach each other outside of official channels or prying eyes and ears. We never had to use it. Not until now and because of this I knew it was serious.

It has been two days since I abandoned my assignment here in Beirut to start my journey home. I was all too aware that my absence has by now raised red flags all over the Intelligence community and I was being sought out. I couldn't use any of my various aliases that the agency assigned to me since those would most likely be flagged since I have dropped off the grid. Flagged in hopes that I would try to skirt by using one of my identities and the CIA could then ascertain my location or at the very least pick up on my trail.

I was sitting in an abandoned one room building on the outskirts of Beirut listening to the rain slam against the tin roof above my head. The building was run down and dirty and only had a table with two chairs. I picked this particular spot because it was desolate and had limited access to both the building and the area it was located. These things afforded me more control over my environment which allowed for less surprises. Yesterday I had called on Fayaz, one of my local back channel contacts to forge me all new papers with a clean name that I could use once I arrived state side and I was expecting him to deliver any minute. I checked my watch again and as if on cue I heard a knock on the wooden door.

I placed my right hand on my P110 but did not lift it from the table and called out for the visitor to enter.

Fayaz opened the door and rushed in while turning and closing the door in one swift motion as he tried to keep the rain out.

"Do you have what I need?" I asked him once he saw me sitting behind the table and headed my direction.

"I do. Everything you need is in here." He stated as he placed a manila envelope on the table in front of me as he eyed my gun before sitting in the chair across from me.

I looked at the envelope but I didn't open it. Fayaz had done some amazing forgery work for me in the past and I had no doubt he produced the same quality work for me now. I sensed that I was making him nervous and that he wanted to conclude business as quickly as possible. I had no problem with this as I was on a strict time table. Tamsin arranged for a local contact at the Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport to escort me around customs and check points in order to keep the picture and name on my new passport from being run through the system until I arrived state side and we could assess the depth at which the Intelligence services were trying to track me. Tamsin just didn't have the reach to find out if my agency aliases and my picture where tagged to throw up an alert. I would have to get Kenzi to look into this but it would have to wait for now. At this point I was assuming the worst and would act accordingly. As cliché was it sounded, since I read Tamsin's email I have worn my favorite hat in public in attempts to hide my face and I would not allow any of my names or my photo to be run through any type of computer system. I also knew Tamsin would have someone at Dulles International Airport to bypass me through customs when I landed to be on the safe side until we had a better grasp on how my disappearance would rain hell down on us. I would have preferred a private flight out from one of the air fields in the area but the fewer people that could potentially identify me that knew where I was and where I was going the better off I would be.

Fayaz's eyes landed on my duffel bag and I could see his demeanor change from one of nervousness to excitement. The bag contained my clothes, shoes, files and some other things but I could tell Fayaz believed it contained his payment for services rendered.

"You know that getting those papers done was a rush job and will cost you twice the usual payment?" He asked as his eyes flicked back up to meet mine.

"I understand Fayaz. Did anyone help you get these papers together? Did you bring anyone else in on this job?" I questioned as I tried to get a read on him. Determine if he was about to lie or tell me the truth.

Fayaz squinted his eyes and tilted his head to the side and answered, "No of course not. This was done exclusively by me as requested. That is why you pay me as much as you do."

I believed him and the fact that he was being honest mattered to me greatly but it still didn't change the outcome. Without saying another word I lifted my P110 and shot Fayaz twice in the chest. I picked up the envelope and stuffed it into my duffle bag. I disassembled my gun and collected the pieces along with my bag and headed out the door after searching Fayaz to ensure there was nothing on his person that could tie him to me.

I left the car behind that I had driven to the abandoned little building and after wiping it down I loaded my bag into Fayaz's Jeep instead and headed to the airport. As I drove I tossed the individual parts of my weapon out into the rainy night, spacing it out every few miles. As I continued to drive to the airport I thought about Fayaz. Taking a life was not new to me but I regretted taking his and while I regretted it, I would not have changed it had I been given the chance. He wasn't my enemy. He had done nothing wrong but he created my new identify which meant he knew too much. Left alive – Fayaz could spill this information to the wrong people and I couldn't have that. The old saying the ends justify the means flashed through my thoughts and I shook my head. If I really started to believe that, to live like that – it scared me. When the time came that death caught up with me, I wanted to go with at least a shred of dignity and pride in my actions and to know that I wasn't willing to stoop to the very bottom to see my goals achieved. I hoped I hadn't already crossed that line and if I hadn't, I prayed whatever Tamsin was pulling me into wouldn't drag me past it.

I arrived at the airport with a little over an hour before my flight. I zipped up my hoodie and put my USMC hat on as I parked the Jeep in what would be considered long term parking and grabbed my duffel and headed inside the main terminal. I had purchased my ticket the day I read Tamsin's email and replied back to her with the flight information. She then proceeded to arrange for my shortcut around all the usual stops one must take to board an International flight. I had no idea what this person looked like but Tamsin's encoded email ensured they would find me.

I only had to walk a little further into the airport when I was approached by a gentleman asking me to follow him. I was cautious because while this man had on a standard security uniform, this didn't guarantee he was Tamsin's guy. I could be potentially following an agent from any number of Intelligence agencies and I would be none the wiser until it was too late. I had no weapon. I had to get rid of that before arriving here and I had no assurances that the precautions that I did take the last two days were not in vain.

I walked two steps behind the gentleman who identified himself as Rajesh. So far my gut didn't raise any red flags or give my any pause but a split second of lost focus could cost me my life and I wasn't ready for that. Tamsin needed my help and I wouldn't let her down because I got complacent.

Rajesh led me through a side door which took me down a narrow hallway with doors on each side. It appeared to be some sort of employee section with offices on each side. We walked for another 10 minutes until we were at another door that appeared would take me right to the gate I required for my flight. Rajesh opened the door for me and motioned for me to walk through. I thanked him and he nodded his response and walked back down the hallway.

I approached the gate and gave the attendant my ticket. It appeared my bag was a little bigger than the required carry on size but they didn't hassle me. I boarded the plane and walked to the very back and sat down. I sat in coach and at the back of the plane. From here I could see everyone and everything. Coach was average. No one noticed people in coach. To me, first class might put a target on my back. No matter how nice it would have been to have some space. I would not deviate from any precaution that was afforded to me.

Twenty minutes later and we were in the air and I sat and I watched and I would continue to do so until Tamsin filled me in on what she found and Kenzi analyzed and assessed how deep the US government was searching for me.


	2. Chapter 2

AN – This is all first person POV from different characters. I will ensure each POV is clear before each section or chapter. Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed favorited and followed this story. It means a lot and I will do my best to make this story into something you will want to read and enjoy. I don't own anything and this is all fiction and from my imagination so some things may not fit real world scenarios so please forgive any discrepancies

Tamsin POV

I headed into the office early today. I wanted to attempt to get some work done as well as try to keep up normal appearances as much as possible. I knew that Beth or whatever she would be calling herself now would be landing at Dulles today and I needed to leave early. I had planned on meeting Beth and Kenzi at the safe house and fill them in on what I had stumbled upon and have them listen to the recording as well. I wouldn't really call it a safe house in the traditional sense. It was more of a rundown old home in an older part of Virginia outside of DC that could not be connected to any of us, had high speed Internet and most importantly privacy. This was a safe house that Beth and I set up years ago in case we ever found ourselves in a scenario where the sky was falling in on us. Well it seemed that we had finally found a need for it. We had surveillance equipment, weapons, clothes, food, cash, high end networked computer systems, communication equipment, vehicles. When time permitted I would stop by there twice a month to ensure everything was kept up to date and in operational order.

I had already told Kenzi we would be needing her unique and rather illegal skills and she was more than happy to jump on board. She dug for details – eager to get started but I wanted to wait. I didn't want to go over everything more than once and I wanted everyone together when I dropped this bomb so I knew that everyone was on the same page. I hoped maybe they could lend more insight into what we might be facing and I prayed I had not made a mistake erasing the original recording from the NSA archives. I knew when I copied the recording and deleted the originals I had committed treason. An act I had gotten away with…at least for now…and while I worried more about what I heard and felt a sense of duty to find the truth – I still felt the guilt and sense of betrayal that I committed against my country – even if it was for the right cause.

I have worked for the NSA for six years. I sit around all day and essentially listen for hours on end to phone calls and conversations while discerning what is and isn't relevant. Our Special Collections Service or SCS plant listening devices in places where we are not able to eavesdrop electronically by other means. Once this is done all passive electronic collection or eavesdropping is sent to my group SIGINT. Every one of the clusters that we listen to is supposedly done under warrant if we are monitoring US citizens but I am not confident this is always the case. Otherwise we globally monitor, collect, and process information and data for foreign intelligence and counterintelligence purposes.

I was anxious and couldn't sit still. I kept looking at the clock but time seemed to be going backwards. Beth's plane should be landing soon and she would be headed to the safe house straight from the airport. Once she arrived there she would call me using one of the encrypted cell phones we had on location to let me know she was on site. I also carried an encrypted cell phone outside of my NSA issued phone and as soon as we were at the safe house I planned on giving one to Kenzi as well.

I jumped when I heard my non-government issued phone vibrate inside my desk drawer. I opened the drawer quickly and I silenced it but didn't look at it. We were strictly forbidden to carry any non-authorized electronic devices into this listening post but they didn't ever search us or our belongings to see if we were actually adhering to this rule. I felt like this was sloppy and ignorant considering we were one of many NSA stations that essentially monitored and protected national security secrets. I knew it was Beth who had called me from the house so I shut down my workstation and grabbed everything I thought I might need and shoved it messily into my briefcase. I issued my co-workers a quick goodbye and left the building.

Once I was in my car out in the employee parking lot I pulled my cell phone out of my briefcase. I called Kenzi and asked her if she was ready to start her vacation. I didn't really want to speak too openly as I knew her end of the call was not secure and Kenzi knew what I meant. I then returned Beth's call and informed her that Kenzi and I were in route and to just wait for us to arrive.

Bo POV

I was tired. I had been going non-stop for almost three days. It felt good to finally be back in the states but my internal clock was completely screwed up. When I landed at Dulles and exited the gate, the TSA agent Tamsin had in place was right there waiting for me and I couldn't help but smile. I thought about how Tamsin and I were alike in some ways. Neither of us leaving things to chance if we could help it and we were meticulous about everything.

Finally after taking back exits and roundabout employee passages through the airport with the assistance of the TSA agent, I exited the terminal and haled a cab and gave him the address of the gas station that was about a mile away from our safe house. I didn't want to lead him directly to our front door. I also knew I could have been more thorough in covering my tracks from the airport but at least if the cab was ever tracked back to me – it wouldn't lead my pursuers directly to me and with the surveillance we had set up at the house – we would see them coming if they ever traced any of us directly back to the house. Whoever "they" were.

About 30 minutes later the cab driver dropped me off at the gas station. I paid him in cash and waited for him to leave. I did not want him to see which direction I headed. I then walked the last mile to the safe house and dumped my bag on the bed in one of the back bedrooms. I pulled one of our illegally obtained secure phones from the safe and called Tamsin. It rang and then disconnected. I knew she was probably inside an NSA office or listening post and couldn't answer right away. One of the benefits of being in the military for four year and then the CIA for another seven – I collected a huge amount of contacts of varying moral standards that could supply me with just about anything I needed.

After unpacking my things and organizing the room the best I could, Tamsin called me back and gave me confirmation that she and Kenzi would be meeting me here shortly. I took the extra time I had to shower and change into fresh clothes. I then proceeded to pull another weapon from our stockpile we had dispersed around the house and tucked it into the back of my jeans. It left good feeling the gun against my back. It made me feel calm and I wondered if that was normal.

I sat in the living room and didn't have to wait long when I saw two cars pull up simultaneously and then proceeded into the garage. I recognized both cars and didn't feel the need to approach the garage door that led into the kitchen with gun in hand.

When Kenzi and Tamsin walked in I barely had time to open my mouth before Kenzi crashed into me and crushed me in a hug with her tiny yet amazingly strong arms.

She pulled away from me and smacked me in the arm and asked, "So what are we calling you these days?"

I laughed and replied, "Good to see you too Kenz. My papers say I am now Ysabeau Dennis. Ysabeau sounds so formal to me. I guess Bo for short. What do you think?"

"I like it Bobo. See how I did that? I now have a Bobo and a Tam-Tam. Anyway what do you say we get this show on the road?" Kenzi said as she brushed passed me and into the living room where her precious computer system was setup and waiting for her. I didn't even bother to respond to the new nickname she bestowed upon me. While I knew the name Tam-Tam bothered my blonde friend, Kenzi calling me Bobo made me feel normal. It centered me.

I looked at Tamsin and shrugged and motioned for her to follow me into the living room. Kenzi was already booting up her system.

"Kenz," I said as I pointed at the manila envelope on the desk by her keyboard, "those are my new papers. Can you set up a background for Ysabeau Dennis that is close to my real background and will also pass a cursory check if anyone should ever run my new name?"

"Sure thing Bobo. That is quick and easy. Why doesn't Tam-Tam tell us why we are really here and why she needs my mad hacking skills?" Kenzi replied and she turned and fixed Tamsin with a piecing gaze. Kenzi was trying to look intimidating and she pulled it off well. I never doubted the two were great friends but they could bicker with each other like siblings. Tamsin sighed and shook her head. She set her briefcase down on the coffee table, popped it open and handed Kenzi a flash drive.

"Set this up to play. It is a recording I stole from the NSA. It was actually not a direct recording but a conversation that was picked up from a nearby cell phone we were electronically monitoring. This whole thing was caught by chance."

Kenzi took the flash drive with a smirk on her face that clearly showed she was impressed and proceeded to set up the recording to play. I on the other hand was completely flabbergasted.

"Tamsin you stole a recording from the NSA? You do know that is treason right? It is only a matter of time before they realize what you did!" I was pacing back and forth. Deep down I knew she would not have done what she did without good reason but at the moment I could only think that we were now pulled into something we knew nothing about and we were alone. We had no agency support, the NSA would close in on Tamsin eventually, I was now in the wind and the only resources we had were what we could pull from our back channel contacts and what we currently had on hand.

Tamsin grabbed my arm to halt my pacing which made me look up at her, "Yes Bo I am aware of all of those things. I am going to go get Kenzi a secure phone and program it with our numbers. Can you fill her in on what else we may need her to do right now?" With that Tamsin let go of my arm and left the room. I instantly felt bad for snapping at her but decided to worry about it later.

I sat on the edge of the desk next to Kenzi who had suddenly gotten really quiet. I spoke to her softly hoping to ease the tension and reassure her, "Kenz. I know you can set me up with a new background in just a few hours and I thank you for it. It seems we are also going to listen to this recording Tamsin obtained. I don't know anything about it. Tamsin has kept the details to herself. You should probably know that I went dark and left Beirut yesterday at her request. The agency is going to tag me but I am not sure how aggressively they are looking for me. I know you still have back door entries into all the government systems. Can you hack your way into the CIA and see what my status is and if you can somehow override it and keep them off my trail?"

Without hesitation Kenzi replied with fierce determination, "Of course I can. You know I would do anything for you. We have known each other all our lives. You kept me safe when we were younger and you took care of me. I will never forget that and I will do whatever I have to and I am in this with you ok?"

I smiled at her and leaned down and gave her a hug. Kenzi and I were in the same foster home when we were kids. I never knew my parent. They abandoned me when I was born. Kenzi on the other hand had a drunk for a father and an addict for a mother. The state removed her from her parents and placed her in the same home I was currently living in at the time. She was eight and I was ten when she came to live with me. When we started school, the kids in Kenzi's class picked on her because she was short and scrawny. They knew she lived in a foster home and teased her mercilessly. I took her under my wing and kept her class mates in line. From that day on Kenzi and I were inseparable. If kids gossiped about Kenzi's situation after that, they did it out of earshot. The kids in my own class never bothered me and I never understood why. I hoped it was because they were considerate enough not to bully a person due to their circumstances but Kenzi told me that wasn't the case. She said I exuded confident and commanded respect and the other kids could sense it.

When I turned eighteen I joined the military and Kenzi fell in with a crowd and got herself into trouble. She would steal anything that wasn't bolted down and hack into any system she thought was a challenge. She never got caught for the hacking but she did get arrested for shoplifting when she was out late with a group of friends. Her so called friends left her behind and she took the fall alone. She ended up with community service and from that point on I sent money home to her that I earned in the service to help her out with whatever she needed.

Kenzi cut ties with her friends and found purpose. She finished high school without any further incident and went to college earning a four year degree in computer science. All through college she continued to hone her hacking skills but she never really did anything malicious. She now freelances for different companies, testing their network security and fixing any potential vulnerabilities.

Six months before the end of my four year military service I was approached by the government. I had taken various tests and was informed that my results proved a promising career within the Intelligence community. It sounded exciting. I was young and eager to continue service, make a difference and see the world. I believe I made a difference but I learned quickly that there was never an easy choice and the job was anything but glamourous. I operated alone and found it hard to get close to anyone because anything I shared with them was either a lie or I would have to pick up and leave without notice. I learned not to make attachments. I was better off and so were they.

I have known Tamsin for four years. She worked in Signal Intelligence and would often work in conjunction with the CIA. There were many assignments I led or participated in that were a direct result of Tamin's and the NSA's involvement. I am not sure exactly how it happened but I clicked with Tamsin and we became friends. Tamsin is my only friend outside of Kenzi and the two woman are the only ones that know everything about me.

Tamsin reentered the room and pulled me out of my thoughts. She handed Kenzi her new phone and explained that our numbers were now programmed in.

"Is the recording ready?" Tamsin asked as she sat down on the edge of the coffee table. I moved from leaning against the desk and joined my friend on the table. I bumped her with my shoulder and gave her an apologetic look for my outburst earlier. She gave me a small smile and nodded.

Kenzi turned to face the screen and signaled that she was ready. She hit play and we all waited.

" _We have the foreign assets in place"_

"… _are…of…to be done?"_

" _Yes every….aware and ready to…..forward when….are ready. The Vice Pres….is on board?""_

" _Yes and he agrees the monetary costs for this cannot…to us and should be siphoned….from…intelligence budget"_

" _I already….someone in place….that"_

" _You do understand that by allowing Iran to keep their nuclear prog…..in exchange….cheap oil…cost…American jobs?"_

" _Once the Pres…is out of the way and Vice President Hill takes…..he will push the necessary….through Congress to compensate for the lost jobs. The bill….building block…. His reelection in two yea.."_

" _Have you figured...to get rid of…little obstacle?"_

" _I do not have a when…where…"_

The recording stopped and I jumped up and started pacing again firing off questions to Tamsin and Kenzi.

"That was the CIA director but who was the other gentleman? Kenzi that recording is terrible. There was static, background noise and it was choppy. Can you run it through any type of audio filter? Tamsin how exactly did you come by this recording? It sounded like it was in a restaurant."

Kenzi looked pale but when she spoke to me her voice sounded of nothing but confidence, "Yeah Bo I can run that through an audio filter and see what I can do to clean it up. It may take some time. In the meantime I will get started on the other two projects you have for me."

"You're right. That was the CIA director and the other gentleman is the Vice President's Chief of Staff. I don't know who else is involved but it sounded like there are several. They mentioned what sounded like foreign assets, probably ours, stealing money from the intelligence budget, oil, and what sounded like Iran's nuclear program and the assassination of the President. I know the recording has some missing pieces. It was recorded at Komi off Dupont Circle. It was accidently picked up by a cell phone from a gentleman we have been electronically monitoring who just happened to be seated close to where the conversation took place."

I stopped pacing and sat down next to Tamsin again. I placed my head in my hands. I was over tired and finding it hard to think. I felt lost and very overwhelmed. I had no idea outside of the three of us who could be trusted. I knew there were three people involved in this already with no indication of who else might be a part of it. This meant we were on our own for now.

I let out a long slow breath and stood back up. I couldn't sit. I had a nervous energy burning through me.

I looked at Kenzi and then at Tamsin and said, "We need to find the source of the money first. Then we can see who it is coming from and where it is going. We also need to find out what Intelligence programs could be used for embezzlement. Who is the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee and who is a part of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence?"

Kenzi popped back around to face her system and searched for the information I just requested. It only took her about ten seconds to return my answer.

Kenzi tossed it over her shoulder while she continued working, "Senator Lauren Lewis is on the Senate Committee on Intelligence which covers the budget and is the Chairwoman for the Senate Intelligence Committee. So she would have knowledge of both the budget and the programs."

I walked over to Kenzi and replied, "I have another task to add to your list Kenz. I want to know everything there is to know about Lauren Lewis. She is either going to be a very helpful asset or she is a huge part of this conspiracy."


	3. Chapter 3

AN – Thank you to all who review, read, favorite and follow. This chapter has been rewritten and reposted. It is actually the original chapter I wrote and intended to post but had decided against it. After much thought I decided to go with my original story outline. For those who have already read chapter 3 I apologize for switching things up but I hope you like this direction even more!

Bo POV

I woke disoriented and it took me a moment to realize where I was. It was still dark outside but I could tell it was almost sunrise. I slept through the night without incident but I still felt worn. I figured it would take more than one night's sleep to readjust my internal clock and get back on a normal day/night schedule. I also knew without a shadow of a doubt that my days and nights would soon blur together once we blindly jumped head first into the mess we volunteered for. The house was quiet and I decided I needed to drag myself out of bed. I was eager for some coffee and for any information Kenzi may have found yesterday after I went to bed and Tamsin left for the day. I was worried about Tamsin. I was afraid that it was only a matter of time before the NSA realized that she tampered and stole a recording that essentially belonged to the government. I made a promise to myself last night that I would keep her from trouble no matter what. The first sign that the NSA had her in their cross hairs and I would be there. I wasn't exactly sure how but I swore to make it so.

I trudged into the living room and had to stifle a laugh. Kenzi was passed out at her desk with her face plastered to her keyboard. I had to admit that it was endearing to see how dedicated she was to finish what I asked her for yesterday. I walked over and slammed my hand down on her desk and startled her awake. She was wide eyed and looked almost possessed and I finally let out the laugh that I was holding back. Once Kenzi realized what I did she gave me the look of death. It didn't really hit me until now how much I missed having her in my life. I would visit or call when time permitted but it really wasn't enough and I started to realize that now.

"Bo that was really an asshole move you know that? I stayed up all night finishing the favors you asked me to do for you!" She ran her hand along the side of her face and she gave me yet another of her signature Kenzi looks that she had perfected to an art over the years.

"Look at this," she pointed to herself, "I have keyboard marks on my face. The things I do for you I swear."

"I know Kenzi. Give me a few minutes and I will have some coffee for you. What can you tell me?" I asked as I pulled two mugs down from the shelf.

"Well I finished the background for your new identity. You graduated from Blackburg High School in 2003 and then finished your bachelor's degree in Business Finance from Virginia Tech in 2007 and for the last seven years you and I have been freelancing for corporate businesses exploiting and fixing security vulnerabilities within their internal networks. It should –"

I cut her off as I handed her a cup of coffee I had just brewed. "That does not even come close to matching my real life. The best lies have a bit of truth in them and you know that. Damn it. Will I never be able to just be me?" I said the last part more to myself than her. I set my own mug down on the coffee table and flopped down on the couch. I was frustrated and while I had taken it out on Kenzi – it really had nothing to do with her. I was tired of having a new name with a new story for every operation and location I was sent to. It was naïve of me but I was holding out a little hope that I could reclaim some of my identity…reclaim some of myself….when I came back here.

"Hey. Don't be an asshole. I can't begin to imagine what it's like for you but you chose to do what you do and I didn't feel comfortable breaking into military databases to set the new you up with a service record. On top of that how was I supposed to explain the last seven years of your life? It would have been blank and you know it. I couldn't really set up something for super-secret spy agent ok? Now would you like to hear the rest or do you want to just sit there and feel sorry for yourself?"

I took a sip of coffee allowing the caffeine to wake me up a little. I nodded for her to continue. I was really curious about what other information she was able to fish up.

"I was also able to hack my way back into the CIA internal network. I have got to tell you Bo, my back doors from years ago were still in place so that cut down on the amount of time I would have needed. I can't believe the security holes I punched through were never detected and closed. I mean this is the CIA! Super spy agency with crazy secrets that they are supposed to be protecting but the vulnerabilities I exploited from before were just left hanging open. That doesn't really give me confidence in our Intelligence services. No offense to you of course."

I listened to Kenzi rant and I agreed with her and it upset me more than I wanted to admit. I wasn't upset with her. I was disappointed that the agency I devoted almost a decade of my life to was so sloppy. I gave them everything and it felt like a slap in the face that those responsible for keeping our operations, agents and secrets safe were doing just the opposite. Tamsin was able to walk off with classified information with no one the wiser and Kenzi could just waltz right into the belly of the CIA electronically with no effort. It was disgusting. No wonder we had a rogue CIA director, Vice President, Chief of Staff and whoever else was involved in this conspiracy with Iran for cheap oil. Cheap oil in exchange for Iran's nuclear freedom. I couldn't even begin to imagine what the United States had set up overseas to make this happen. I could only focus on this end for now. I needed to stop jumping ahead and stay tasked on what I could from here.

I shook out my thoughts and refocused on Kenzi. "So yeah I checked you out and it was noted that you have missed your last two check ins. They are searching for you in Lebanon but it hasn't spread past those borders. I worked a little coding magic and if they start widening the net I will get an alert and then I can go in and see what I can do to keep you one step ahead of them. So you're safe right now. I also went one step further and I back hacked my way into the NSA systems and set up the same alerts for Tamsin. If they access her file in any way, I will be alerted."

"Thank you. I will let Tamsin know. I know that will help her relax a little more. What did you find out about our Senator?"

Kenzi threw me a folder and headed into the kitchen, "I am happy to help Tamsin but if she is at her post and they finally catch on, we may be able to warn her but she won't have much time to bail but that is worst case scenario."

I nodded in agreement and replied, "We will deal with that if and when it happens."

Kenzi refilled her coffee and started to pour herself a huge bowl of cereal. "The folder is everything I could find on Senator Lewis. Her parents are still alive, married and live in New Haven, Connecticut. They are filthy rich. Her dad is CEO of a pharmaceutical company. She has a younger brother who can't seem to hold down a job and has been in and out of trouble since he was a teenager. She attended Yale and received her Master's degree in Political Science. After she graduated she was involved in local and state government before she ran for her Senate seat for the state of Connecticut. I checked her phone logs and it doesn't appear she keeps in touch with her immediate family nor does it appear she has any type of romantic relationship with anyone and she doesn't seem to have any close friends. Most of her calls are business related. Looking over her bank accounts, she has a trust fund but doesn't touch it. She doesn't throw money around or flaunt her financial status. From the looks of it she goes to work and comes home. She loves take out too I noticed. If she is in on this whole crazy conspiracy thing then they didn't hook her with promises of money."

Kenzi grabbed her coffee and cereal and took off to her bedroom that we set up for her last night.

I opened the folder Kenzi threw at me and I was a bit taken aback. Lauren Lewis was a very beautiful woman. I stared at her photo and could feel my heart rate quicken. It was a foreign feeling to me. An odd response that I couldn't understand. I buried it and looked at what was actually printed on the page. Lauren was born November 29, 1985 in New Haven, Connecticut. She was extremely intelligent and excelled in school. She was extremely successful in accomplishing her goals at the local and state levels. I skimmed over the parts Kenzi shared with me and I agreed with her assessment. This woman did not maintain a close relationship with her family. She didn't seem to be romantically involved with anyone and for some reason that little tidbit made me happy. Her phone logs and bank account made me come to the conclusion that she was a workaholic with hardly any social interactions. The thought of this made my heart ache for this woman. I felt connected to her because we seemed to be the same in that respect.

Kenzi provided me with her home address, work address, phone numbers and her Senate schedule. This would help me track her movements.

I closed the folder and sighed. None of what I read led me to any judgement on whether she was involved in this or not. I decided that I would need to set up my own surveillance in her home, tap her land line, bluesnarf her cell phone and then determine the best approach.

Lauren POV

It was only Wednesday but this week has felt twice as long. I stopped and thought about it a moment and every week felt this way I concluded. I used to love my job. It didn't even feel like work because I enjoyed what I did. I was a part of something and brought real change regarding things that I cared about that would affect the people in this country in a positive way. I could not imagine doing anything else. That was before. Now I was on a fact finding mission and even through the threats I would not be deterred. About two weeks ago I noticed some discrepancies in the Intelligence budget. Operations were being added to the books that were never discussed during my oversight meetings and money was being moved from current active programs to these new programs without any discussion among budget committee members. This did not make sense to me so I decided to do a little digging. I went back over the last four weeks of operational information and budget line items and wrote down every operation that was added in that time period and the dollar amount that was assigned to it. I brought this information forward and presented it to my fellow budget and oversight committee members but no one had any explanation for it. What made things worse was that no one on either committee appeared to be concerned.

The morning after I presented my findings before the committee I found an envelope on my front door step when I was leaving for work. The package contained a note warning me to stop digging around. This angered me. I had that gut feeling things were not right and this confirmed it. I was getting close to something that was not above board and I had someone worried – I would not have been threatened if I wasn't asking the right questions and making the right people uncomfortable.

I disregarded the threat. I didn't forgo romance or friendships to be the best at my job – to be the best person elected into my position to just look the other way when something was so obviously wrong. Since the committee members did not seem interested in what I found I decided to bring my findings to CIA director Robert Long. When I met with him and laid out what I found he thanked me for my time and due diligence and assured me he would look into it. That was last week. Since then I received another package on my front door step but this time the contents were different. Instead of a threating note I found photos of me and my family along with explicit instructions to drop my inquiry or me and my family would not be safe. I was never close to my brother or parents but I did not want any harm to befall them. My life was also threatened but I was more concerned with them. I made a choice to pursue this but my family didn't.

I decided that if I wanted to keep myself and my family safe I would need to dig into this quietly. I didn't know why or exactly how someone was manipulating the dollar amount assigned to Intelligence operations but I knew there had to be several people involved from different parts of government and I was going root them out and expose them.

I checked my watch and it was time to head into the office. After pouring out the rest of my coffee I gathered my things and headed out the front door. I climbed into my BMW M series, backed out of my driveway and as if by autopilot I drove to the Dirksen Senate Office Building where I spent most of my time when not in committee meetings.

I parked and got out of the car without really remembering the drive here. I followed my usual routine to my office, issued my assistant a greeting and went into my office and closed the door. I wanted to take a peek into the details of some of the operations that appeared on the budget in the last four weeks. Being the head of the Intelligence subcommittee I was privy to and had intimate knowledge of various Intelligence operations that were currently in motion or were slated to start in the near future. Mongoose, Safraan and Orion were the missions that were most recently added to the books with money allocated and so far I could not find any detailed operational information for them. This was the batch I was looking into this morning. I had a whole list of other operations I needed to check into before I left for the day. Changes in the budget and how money was allocated was not an uncommon thing. Missions change, operations are canceled, and resources are added or removed. All these things change the amount of money that is delegated to each and every program. The fact that this was happening without the knowledge of the oversight and budget committees was suspicious and out of the norm.

After finding no real substantial information regarding Mongoose, Safraan and Orion such as logistical requirements, mission parameters, agent code name assignments I decided to check on the next three missions on my list.

I pulled the list out of my briefcase. I only kept a hard copy and I always kept it with me. I wanted to check on the three programs that were first listed four weeks ago. Neptune, Northern Lights and Trident were the first programs that I found after I started my investigation that raised red flags for me.

When I attempted to pull up these operations I found that they were no longer in the system. It was like someone erased them from existence. The operations and the money assigned to them were gone. I checked the next set of missions on my list that I red flagged that first appeared three weeks ago and those missions and money were deleted as well. I checked the rest of the operations on my list and found that they were still listed on the budget but I had a sinking feeling that this would not be the case for very long.

This newly discovered information made me realize that none of the operations on my list existed except in name only. This led me to believe that whoever was responsible for this had knowledge of all CIA operations and the authority to manipulate government resources with precision accuracy.

It was Wednesday and the week was twice as long.

Bo POV

I took the keys to my truck, left a note for Kenzi telling her I would be back later and headed to the Dirksen Senate Office Building. I knew I couldn't contact Tamsin while she was at work so I decided I would follow up with her later - after she was off. I made the decision that bugging Lauren's land line, cell phone and putting up surveillance equipment in her home would take time that we might not have. Without consulting with Tamsin or Kenzi I planned on confronting Lauren Lewis today.

I came to the conclusion that if she didn't know anything I could somehow convince her this was real and we needed her help and if she was complicit then I could turn her as an asset and use her for information and if neither worked – I would kill her.

This thought turned my stomach. I have never even met this woman and the thought of bringing her harm grated against me. I was confused why this woman already had some hold over me. It scared and excited me at the same time. Regardless of what Lauren stirred in me I would do what needed to be done.

Kenzi's profile on Lauren indicated that she drove a black BMW M series with government plate Q17-150. I drove through the parking structure and it didn't take me long to locate her car in the garage. I parked my truck about twenty spaces away from where Lauren's car was parked which gave me a full view of the elevator and her car. I planned disengaging the lock on her vehicle and waiting for her inside. I called Tamsin and told filled her in on my CIA status, the alerts Kenzi put up in the NSA system, the ins and outs of Lauren Lewis and that I was currently sitting in my truck at her office building. Tamsin was angry at my blatant disregard for caution and storming in with no knowledge or leverage. I really had no argument to support my actions and only told her I thought we couldn't wait. If I was being completely honest a part of me didn't want to wait because I had this driving need to meet her.

I checked my watch and it was after five. I knew Lauren should be leaving in the next few minutes. I hung up with Tamsin and existed my truck and started to make my wait towards Lauren's car. I ran my hand along my lower back feeling my Rugur P90 tucked securely in the hostler clipped to my jeans and I released a calming breath.

I stopped short when I saw Lauren exit the elevator and start to approach her car. I wouldn't be able to break into her car and wait for her. I wasted too much time arguing with Tamsin when I should have been focused on task. I turned around and headed back to my truck and climbed inside. I kept an eye on Lauren and decided I would follow her. This would at least allow me to start learning her routine.

As Lauren moved out of her parking space and started to head towards the structure exit that would lead her onto the surface streets, I noticed an SUV pull out and start to follow her. I wasn't sure if this was a coincidence – someone else leaving for the day or if she was already being followed. The thought of her being followed didn't sit well with me and I needed to find out which.

I put my truck in drive and began to follow Lauren while maintaining a fair amount of distance from the SUV as well. We pulled onto the busy city street and from the direction Lauren was going I knew she was headed home. The SUV followed. I followed.

I knew Lauren lived in American University Park. It was a nice community with single-family homes built with tall ceilings and colonial style buildings outside of the busy DC metro area. As Lauren started getting further out of the city and deeper in to the outskirts of the city where neighborhoods started to appear - the SUV never relented in is pursuit. I knew without doubt that she had a tail.

I tried to maintain my distance. I didn't want to spook the driver of the SUV. The driver probably had experience in surveillance and could spot if being followed. I didn't want to trigger this person to do anything rash or tip them that Lauren was of interest to someone other them.

As Lauren pulled into her driveway the SUV pulled to a stop and parked on the side of the road opposite of her home. I kept driving past and took a mental note of the license plate. I came to a complete stop at the stop sign about thirty yards from where the SUV parked. I planned on heading back to the safe house and having Kenzi run the license plate. Before I continued on my way I checked my rearview mirror and the sight I saw made my blood run cold.


	4. Chapter 4

AN – Thank you to members and guests who review, read, favorite and follow. Please if anyone has any questions, suggestions, comments, concerns let me know – the good and the bad.

Bo POV

The driver from the SUV had gotten out of his car and was slowly approaching my truck with gun raised. I chastised myself for not being more discreet when I followed Lauren and this mystery man back to her house. I didn't want a confrontation with him, especially in front of a Senator's home.

Before I could take off there was a loud bang that cut through the silence in my truck. The noise was deafening. My ears were ringing. The man had opened fire on me and the first round hit the back driver's side door but it did not penetrate into the vehicle. I pulled out my P90 and held it on the seat next to me but I did not return fire. I hit the gas and took off from a dead stop. I glanced over my left shoulder and saw that my attacker was running back to his vehicle and I could only assume he was going to try and follow me.

I exited the neighborhood and pulled a hard left out onto the main street. I cut through two lanes of traffic speeding and weaving. I could see in the rearview mirror that the SUV was in pursuit and about fifty yards behind me. It was getting harder to maneuver as the street was getting more congested with evening traffic. If this man was going to pursue me I wanted to get off the main road and into an area that was less populated with people and cars. I swung a right on to F Street NE. I drive a 2014 F-350 and it was not made for high speed pursuits. The driver was not relenting in his chase for me. I checked behind me and he was gaining ground. The SUV was about thirty yards back and had the advantage as it was lighter with better maneuverability. The driver was not opening fire on me out on the public streets and I was grateful. I assumed he would take his next shots if I stopped or if he could force me into a more secluded area of the city.

I drove down four blocks and turned left on 8th street and it was here I pulled into a parking lot that was inhabited by cars but appeared empty of any people. I swung my vehicle around into the nearest empty space and swung the driver's door open and slid out into a crouching position and moved to the back of the truck. I watched as the SUV swerved into the parking lot and stopped in the middle between two rows of cars. The man with the gun had stepped out of the SUV and fired another round at me. I could hear the bullet impact my truck but I wasn't sure where it hit. I peered around the corner to gauge where the gunman was in relation to my position.

I leaned over and fired at my assailant, "Fuck." I muttered as I watched my shot hit the windshield of the SUV. The man was standing behind the driver's side door and my shot was too far left. Another shot from my attacker broke my front passenger's window and hit the dashboard. I pulled up and fired again grazing his left upper arm. He returned fire for a third time, his shot falling short of me and hitting the bed of my truck. I leaned against my vehicle and pulled up to line my shot. I fired once, twice, three times, hitting the man in the shoulder and chest. He dropped instantly. I stood up completely and approached with caution. I walked to the driver's side of the SUV and instantly I could see that the man was dead. I closed my eyes for a moment. I didn't want to kill. The thought crossed my mind that he was following orders and had no idea what he was involved in or why he was following a Senator. That he was doing his duty and he was innocent and wasn't a part of this conspiracy. I really had no way of knowing. I opened my eyes and took a deep breath to clear my mind. I needed to focus.

I bent down and searched him. I was worried that he had possibly called for assistance or to report that someone had followed him from Lauren's building – alerting his superiors that an unknown person was engaging him or interfering with the Senator. If he made any calls then I knew to be expecting company any minute. I finally found his phone in the right front pocket of his pants. I pulled it out and checked it quickly. It didn't appear that he made any outgoing calls during the time he was firing at me in front of Lauren's home or when he was in pursuit of me on the street. I felt confident that I would not be expecting more company any time soon. I also noted that he didn't make an outgoing calls during the time I was following him and Lauren from the Dirksen building. This meant he did not alert his superiors that he was being followed. When they find that he was dead miles from his post – they won't know what happened. I realized that I screwed up and potentially made things worse. If I had taken the time to surveil Lauren like I had originally planned then I would have known she was being followed and this could have been handled in a completely different manner. I was not sure what the ramifications would be once this man was found dead. What that meant for Lauren or for any one else that might be involved. I would have to ensure that Kenzi viewed and erased any footage from street cams or other cameras between the Dirksen building and this parking lot. I pocketed the phone and searched out his wallet. Joseph Kaegen. I knew that wasn't his real name. I tucked my P90 into the back of my jeans and proceeded through a hurried search of the SUV in hopes of finding any more clues but it was empty. I held onto the wallet and hurried back to my truck. This parking lot was going to become a crime scene very quickly.

I could not drive a truck riddled with bullet holes or broken windows but I couldn't stay here. I hoped back into my truck and pulled out my phone and dialed Tamsin. "I need your help. I discovered that Lauren was being followed so I pursued them both from her office building to her home. I wasn't as discreet as I thought and her tail shot at me in her neighborhood and then pursued me by car. We ended up in a semi-empty lot on 8th street. I took care of it but my truck took damage. Can you meet me in the alley at the corner of H Street NE and 11th? Bring what we need to sweep her car and home. I want to approach her tonight but there could be trackers in her car and listening devices in her house. Call Jake and have him bring a tow truck. We need to get my truck off the street and fixed as soon as possible."

I could hear the seething anger in Tamsin's voice when she replied to me, "I told you this was reckless! Now we have a damn mess to clean up and we are no closer to any answers. If you had just stuck to the original plan Bo, this shit could have had a completely different outcome."

I knew she was right and I deserved her wrath but I felt she could yell at me later. I needed to talk to Kenzi. "Tamsin look you're right and you can bitch at me later for how I handled this. Just get it done." I then hung up the phone not even waiting for a response.

I called Kenzi while I was driving to H and 11th. I asked her to dredge through camera footage as well as check for any police reports for the shot that was fired in front of Lauren's house. I also needed her to start checking on the name Joseph Kaegen. She needed to go through his cell phone as well but that would have to wait until I could get it to her.

I pulled into the alley way and came to a stop. I could see Tamsin waiting for me and she still looked very irate. I got out of my vehicle and saw Jake further down the alley way pulling his tow truck in backwards so he could load my car. Kenzi called me back and reported that there were no calls to the police regarding gun shots in or around the American University Park community. I let out a sigh of relief for small favors. She informed me that police were being dispatch to the parking lot where I shot it out with Mr. Kaegen. I knew it wouldn't take long for the police to be alerted considering how many shots were fired. She then proceeded to tell me that she was looking through any camera footage she could but it would take some time.

When I reached Tamsin's car she slammed a bag into my chest and said, "Here." I unzipped it and saw that it was everything we needed to check Lauren's car and home for bugs and trackers. I shouted over to Jake who was leaning against his truck that he could take my car when he was ready.

I got into Tamsin's Charger and she climbed into the driver's seat. This would have been the better vehicle for a high speed pursuit. I considered dumping my truck for a car.

I looked out the window as Tamsin started to pull out of the alley. "We need to talk to Lauren. I mean it Tamsin. She's home. Do you know how to get there?"

"Yeah. Kenzi sent me everything she pulled up on her. I know where she lives. I hope you know what you are doing."

As Tamsin guided us out of the alley I thought to myself so do I.

Lauren POV

It had been an hour and a half since I heard what sounded like gun fire outside my home. When I looked outside the only thing I saw was an SUV speeding off towards the exit of my neighborhood running the stop sign.

I was surprised when my doorbell rang. I answered the door finding two women standing on my porch.

Before I could greet them and find out what they needed the brunette spoke, "Senator Lewis we need to speak with you. Outside."

I hesitantly asked, "Who are you? Why do you need to speak with me?"

All of a sudden the brunette woman handed the blonde a black bag. The blonde woman brushed pasted me into my home while the brunette grabbed my arm and pulled me outside shutting the door behind me.

Before I could voice my outrage the woman spoke again, "My name is Bo. I work for the CIA….well at least I did. The woman in your house is Tamsin and she works for the NSA. About two weeks ago she came across a recording that eludes to a conspiracy inside of our government. We are not sure who is involved nor the full extent of it. The first thing we wanted to do was try to follow the money which led us to you since you are on several Intelligence committees. You are privy to operations and budget information. I know this all sounds confusing and a little crazy but we need your help. Either that or you are a part of this in which case I am fully prepared to learn everything I need to know from you in whatever manner is necessary."

I was stunned. This woman seemingly just threatened me. There was a stranger in my home doing who knows what and the look in this woman's eyes told me she was deadly serious. What she told me didn't seem too farfetched considering I was suspicious of some of the activity I was seeing within the government but I was still hesitant to just blindly trust her words.

I pulled my arm from her grasp. "What is that woman doing in my house?"

"I wanted to talk to you out here because your home might be bugged. Tamsin is currently sweeping for any listening devices but if she finds any she won't disable them. We don't want to tip anyone off that you may be aware of what is going on. I was going to approach you earlier today when you left work but I noticed that you were being followed. The man that was following you discovered that I was following him. He shot at me outside your home. Long story short I killed him in a parking lot about five miles from here. It doesn't appear he alerted anyone that I was following him or you. I am not sure what the fall out will be once his superiors find out he's dead. I don't know how that will blow back on you. Did you know you were being followed?"

"Wait you killed someone?" I asked astonished ignoring her question. Completely thrown by this fact.

I was not sure if I could trust this woman. Bo. She believed me to possibly be involved in something or that I could help her. I came to the conclusion that she was looking for answers to the same questions I was but I decided I would not divulge anything until I knew more about her and her motives.

Before Bo could answer the woman, Tamsin, came back outside.

"Your house isn't bugged but to be safe you should never talk about anything here in your home you don't want heard by anyone else. Either that or we can sweep your house on a regular basis but that may be risky. I am going to check your car. Where are the keys?"

"In the bowl by the front door," I replied. Tamsin walked back in the house and grabbed the keys. She then jogged over to my car and climbed in after unlocking it. She started sweeping the inside of my car with something that looked like a hand held radio. After a few minutes when she finally reached the steering column, she stopped and knelt down and removed the plastic cover underneath the steering wheel. I couldn't get a good view but it appeared she pulled down the wiring harness. She then pushed the wires back up into the dash and put the plastic cover back in place.

She rejoined us back on the porch. "Your car doesn't seem to be bugged either but there is a tracking device hidden beneath the dash. Someone is tracking everywhere your car goes."

"Lauren I know you have no reason to trust us but can you come with us? We have something we need you to hear that may fill in more blanks and maybe convince you we are telling the truth." Bo was almost pleading with me. Her eyes were so expressive and I felt myself getting pulled in. I had this feeling she was being honest. I could see it and hear it.

Looking at Bo I nodded, agreeing that I would leave with them. I couldn't help but think she was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. I shook my head clearing my thoughts. I was grateful she was there and I couldn't help but feel relieved that I had just met two people that I may be able to get some answers from. For the first time in two weeks I felt that there was a glimmer of hope - that there was a way to fix this and get out from under the force that was threatening me and my family but even more than that – possibly threatening the country and the people I was supposed to be serving.

I followed Tamsin and Bo to the Dodge Charger sitting in my driveway.

"We are taking Tamsin's car. We don't want your car tracked back to where we are taking you. Is that ok?"

I couldn't suppress the small smile at Bo's question. "Yes that's fine. I understand." Bo opened the back door for me to get into the back seat. I had a fleeting thought that this could be a trap but I quickly dismissed it. Bo's voice and her eyes that seemed to open right into her soul told me what I needed to know and that was that this is real and honest.

As we pulled out of my driveway it was eerily quiet in the car. The tension was palpable. I could feel it radiating off Tamsin and Bo was oddly quiet. She seemed to have withdrawn into herself. I wondered if it was because she had just taken a life. I couldn't imagine what that would do to a person. It was something I had never had to do before. I had never been in that situation. It surprised me that it didn't bother me more to hear what she had done. Bo was an enigma to me and I wanted to solve the puzzle. From the little time we spent together Bo seemed intelligent, confident and quite capable of taking care of herself. I observed the same qualities from Tamsin as well.

We drove in silence for about 30 minutes. We finally arrived at a rundown looking house that was on the outskirts of DC. We pulled in to the garage and Bo got out and opened my door for me. She held out her hand to help me out while she spoke to me softly, "Lauren? You ready?"

It was hard for me to ignore the feeling I got when I held onto her hand but now was not the time to analyze it.

As she let go of my hand I looked over at her and asked, "What is this place?"

"It is a safe house of sorts. It doesn't tie back to any of us. It is a home base." Bo answered as we walked inside the house.

I walked into the living room and saw a tiny goth looking girl sitting at a desk surrounded by computer monitors and other electronics and gadgets. I saw Bo toss a wallet and cell phone on to the desk next to the keyboard.

"You must be Lauren." The black haired woman said as she gave me the once over – more than once – with a suspicious look on her face.

I didn't respond to her and Bo directed me to sit on the couch as she followed suit. Tamsin chose to lean against the wall separating the kitchen from the living room with her arms folded crossed over her chest.

"I'm Kenzi." The girl stated and continued her silent assessment of me as I sat next to Bo.

Tamsin spoke to me, "Did you know you were being followed?"

"No I had no idea." I responded coolly.

Tamsin and Bo exchanged a look. It seemed they were communicating without speaking. Bo gave a slight nod and turned to face me.

I stared at her for a moment. I was putting a lot of trust in these women but my heart and mind told me it was the right thing to do. I was ready to get some answers and it seemed like I was about to get them.

Tamsin spoke up this time and started filling in more blanks. "About two weeks ago I came across a recording at my post for the NSA. The instant I heard it I knew there were things in motion that needed to be stopped. People high up in government that were stealing money to abuse and obtain power. Long story short I stole the recording and asked Kenzi and Bo to help me."

"I want to listen to this recording." I stated hoping we could get all of this out and start putting pieces together.

"Kenzi go ahead and play the recording for her." Tamsin instructed waving in her direction.

Kenzi turned around and tapped a few keys on her keyboard and played the recording.

I sat and listened intently to what was being played for me. It was hard to grasp what I was hearing but some things started to make sense. Once the recording was done Kenzi turned back around and said, "I am still running it through an audio filter to see if we can clean it up a bit and maybe learn a bit more but it will take a while."

I nodded and continued to try and wrap my mind around everything. I realized the funds that were being delegated to the operations I was researching was being used to fuel this conspiracy. A conspiracy that went higher and further than I even imagined.

When this thought crossed my mind I stood up and started rambling before I could stop myself, "I figured out how they are moving money to fund this….whatever you call it. The recording mentioned the Intelligence budget and not wanting the money to tie back to them or at least that is what I gathered. Two weeks ago I discovered operations that were being added to the budget but were not being passed through the Intelligence oversight committee first. I brought this to the attention of the committee but they did not seem to take me seriously. I then took it to the CIA director but he fed me a line that he would look into it and sent me away. Now I know why. He is a part of this. Anyway after I approached Director Long I received a package at my house threatening me and my family. It essentially said to stop looking or I and my family would be harmed. I knew the threats were real and that I must have stumbled onto something that wasn't above board. I decided to continue looking into this quietly. Today I discovered that after money was moved to the fabricated operations, the operations and the money would be wiped from the books. I have a hard copy of each operation that money was moved from, moved to and the exact dollar amount. Being a part of the Intelligence committee I don't actually move money. I just adjust the budget as needed. I move figures around on paper. Someone in the Treasury department would actually handle moving the money into some sort of account outside the government. If we could somehow find a way into the Treasury department, we could possibly find who moved the money and where it is now. That would lead us to yet another person involved. Another person we could question and if we can find the account the money is hiding in now – we could tag it and see who accesses it. That would again lead us another step closer to the main conspirators and give us more answers to what they are planning."

Tamsin responded, "We need to be smart about this. We can't just question every person that might be involved. I know we did with you. You can thank Bo for that but going forward we need to be more careful." Tamsin gave Bo a pointed look.

Bo ignored her and asked, "Where do you keep this copy? Maybe Kenzi can start looking in to it in places you can't go legally."

I pulled the sheet of paper out of my pocket and handed it to Kenzi, "I keep it on me at all times."

Bo stood up and grabbed my wrist gently to calm me down. I didn't even realize I was pacing around the room talking with my hands. I was so adamant and I was determined to help this group of women put this puzzle together.

I looked at Bo as she let go of my arm. "We need your help and it seems like you have already been looking into this. Our recording is directly tied to what you found." Bo turned from me and looked at the wallet and phone that she had laid on Kenzi's desk, "We need to try and figure out who was following you Lauren and who he answers to."

I had a sudden thought, "My family is being watched too. I received photos of them as part of their threat for me to stop noising around. Once these people figure out that guy is dead they may go after my family. We need to stop them."

"We will do our best to make sure you and your family are safe." Tamsin replied. Then she started barking orders to Kenzi, "Kenzi I want you to work on gathering all the background information you can on every person in the Treasury department. Lauren was right about tracking the accounts and the fact that she has all the dollar amounts of what was taken will be extremely helpful. I also want you to go through that cell phone and wallet and see if you can find out who this Joseph Kaegen was, who hired him, who he talked to, where he lived….just anything you can get will be great."

"Will do. I already started running the name Joseph Kaegen but nothing has popped yet."

Tamsin turned to Bo and smirked, "We need a plan. No more jumping off half assed with your eyes closed. Got it?"

Bo smiled, "Got it."


	5. Chapter 5

Bo POV

"Lauren, do you want me to give you a ride home?" I asked hoping I could spend some time with her outside of piecing together some insane government conspiracy. I had this driving need to be near her, talk to her. I also wanted to do everything I could to protect her and her family. I couldn't shake the guilt I felt for being made by Joseph Kaegen, taking his life and possibly drawing unwanted attention to myself and Lauren.

"Yeah if you don't mind. It is getting late and I have work tomorrow. This is a lot to take in and bit overwhelming." Lauren replied looking at me with tired eyes that held so much worry. "I just want to make sure my family is safe."

I watched as Tamsin left the room. "After I take you home I will see about your family. I promise." I took her hand and squeezed it, trying to reassure her. I didn't know what else to say to her. I just had to do what needed to be done and I would.

Tamsin walked back into the room and handed Lauren a cell phone and proceed to explain that the phone is encrypted and that all our numbers were now programmed in for her convenience. She also went on to tell her that she should only contact the three of us with the phone for the time being.

"Kenz, can I borrow your car to take Lauren home?" Without turning around Kenzi threw her car keys over her head towards my general direction. I caught them and shook my head.

"I should probably be going too. It has been a long day and I have work as well. Need to keep up appearances and I want to try and find a way to tap into the CIA director's phone under the radar. I want to get an early start on that tomorrow." Tamsin stretched and started to make her way to the door that led out to the garage.

I felt the need to caution her. Especially after I had made such a grave mistake today. "Tamsin, do what you can but be careful and don't draw attention to yourself. If you can't do it then we will find another way. Kenz will know if they catch on but we may not be able to warn you in time."

Tamsin turned around and smirked at me, "Are you seriously lecturing me about being careful?"

I went to respond. I was irritated. We all knew I screwed up but it was time to move on from it but Kenzi interrupted me, "Hey guys I got a ping on Joseph Kaegen. It says here he worked for the Rayburn-Northman Corporation. They have interests in Iran and the oil sector and they are a DHS, CIA and Department of Defense contractor. His real name was David Kagen. I couldn't find him in the government databases so I hit up the private sector and there he was."

Tamsin let out a breath and said, "The NSA uses the RNC on occasion. Bo don't you know someone that works over there?"

I sat down on the end of the coffee table. "Yeah I do. Hale Santiago. We were in the same unit overseas. He works at RNC managing logistics and assets for their US based offices. It makes sense to use a private military contractor. Pay them from the funds that are being embezzled from the government and use contractors instead of government assets. Draws less attention to what is going on if you have a separate firm involved that has no government oversight as opposed to assigning US covert agents. "

 _Flashback Start_

 _The sun was not even up yet but the heat was stifling. My unit was headed out to relieve a group that was stationed in Kandahar. I was riding in the second of three armored vehicles in the convoy. I was sitting in the back with Hale. PFC Santiago was new to our unit. He had been with us for about three weeks. The guys loved hazing him but it wasn't anything too rough or out of control. Hale was so laid back he took it all with ease. I liked him the moment I met him. He was kind hearted and had a wicked sense of humor and that made the time pass more easily. He kept me in light spirits which did wonders for my moral._

 _We had been out on the road for about an hour. It was dusty and a rough ride. Hale was cracking jokes to make us laugh and help pass the time. The sun had started to rise and we were starting to pass through a small populated area. We slowed down and stayed alert. It didn't take long to maneuver through the streets and we did so without incident._

 _As we were headed out of the area the first vehicle in our convoy hit an IED in the road causing the front end to lift off the ground and flip the vehicle backwards almost landing on top of our truck. Hale and I started to get out to assess the damage and injuries when our vehicle was hit from the left side with what I assumed was an RPG. It threw our truck sideways and flipped us over. The ringing in my ears was deafening. It was so high pitched I couldn't hear anything else and everything seemed to move in slow motion while I regained my full focus. Our truck was upside down. I crawled out through the window on the passenger's side when we came under fire. I stayed down and looked over to my right. The guys in the first over turned vehicle had managed to exit and were returning fire. It didn't appear there were any major injuries so I turned my attention to the guys that were with me. Everyone was out of the truck except for Hale. He was conscious but he was hung up on something._

 _My eyes were stinging and watering. The smoke from the explosions was thick in the air. The third vehicle in the convoy pulled up next to our truck and started laying down cover fire. I crawled back in and tried to see what was pinning Hale down. He kept yelling at me to get out and find better cover. To help the others in our unit. I just looked at him. I would not leave him. Hale was still upside down and trying to support himself with his arms. The rounds fired by the insurgents were pelting the truck. It sounded like someone was hitting it with a hammer. I was grateful all the vehicles were armored but any round that came through the windows would not be stopped._

 _I saw that the front driver's seat had pinned Hale's foot and ankle to the floor of the truck. I couldn't reach up and help pull the seat forward from my current position. I backed out of the truck and crawled back in through the front. I had a much better angle and leverage here. I laid on my back pulled the seat forward as much as possible and yelled at Hale to push at the same time while trying to move his leg._

 _He was able to get his foot loose and he started to lower himself down. I again back out of the truck and came around to the back and leaned in. I grabbed Hale by the shoulder strap of his body armor and pulled him towards me. I was able to get him about halfway out when he then proceeded to drag himself the rest of the way from the truck._

 _I leaned against the now useless vehicle while Hale got himself to his feet. I peered over the top and saw the insurgents backing off. I picked up my M16A4 rifle and turned to start laying down fire when I heard the guys in my unit yell from the left that another RPG was inbound. I didn't see it. I had no idea where it was targeted. I just had this gut feeling. I grabbed Hale and pulled him to the left where the third convoy truck was parked and the rest of my unit was gathered._

 _The RPG hit the truck Hale and I moved away from and it flipped two times before it landed wheels down and caught on fire. If we had stayed where we were standing just seconds ago we would have been crushed._

 _My unit was able to suppress the insurgents enough that they finally retreated completely. We radioed for reinforcements and waited for them to arrive._

 _Flashback End_

Everyone in the room was quiet. Staring at me. I told them the story of how I knew Hale - that we served together and the close call we had. I wanted them to know a little about my time there and that Hale was someone I knew and trusted implicitly. I trusted everyone in my unit implicitly.

I stood up from the coffee table. "I will go see Hale tomorrow after he gets off work. He doesn't know I am back and I would like to surprise him any way and I don't think approaching him at RNC is the best move."

Kenzi turned back to face her many monitors, "I will keep working on this guy's cell phone BoBo. I am still working on the Treasury department's info but should have that tomorrow or the next day. The recording should be done tomorrow too and we can see if the audio filter helped any. I gathered all the street cam footage of your little car chase that I could find and erased it so don't worry about that. I will also monitor the police case and let you know if anything points to you. Now get out of here and let a woman work in peace!" She waved her hand at us shooing us away.

Lauren POV

We drove back to my house in silence. Bo seemed withdrawn. It didn't surprise me considering what I just heard. I was certain she had many more stories just like the one she shared earlier. I couldn't stop thinking about my family and what might happen to them.

Bo pulled up behind my BMW. She shut the car off and I turned to her, "Do you want to come inside for a bit?"

She gave me a small smile and nodded. We exited the vehicle and walked up to my front porch. I unlocked the door and led her inside.

"Do you want anything to drink?" I asked while I turned on the lights in the living room and kitchen and put my keys in the bowl on the table by the door.

"Beer?" She asked in a hopeful voice.

I smiled and told her to sit pointing to the couch while I went to the kitchen. I grabbed two beers and went back to the living room. I handed one to Bo who thanked me and I sat down across from her.

I was about to speak when Bo started. She was looking at her drink and picking at the label while avoiding looking at me. "I want to apologize for earlier. I don't know if David Kagen was the one that took the photos of your family or if they are being watched by someone else from RNC but if I had been more careful or approached you differently then he would still be alive and there wouldn't be any doubt about the safely of you and your family."

She glanced up at me. I didn't know what to say. I knew she essentially got caught following the man that was following me. I was upset. I was afraid. I didn't know if she got caught because she was careless or if by chance. I had only known this woman a few hours. In that time I learned she killed a man and she had threatened me. She was fierce and determined to say the least. I could see this in her eyes. I could also see sadness and a kind of resignation. I had no doubt that she would try to make right by her mistake.

"Just make sure my family is safe." It was a simple statement. A harder request but it conveyed everything I wanted regarding her confession to me.

She nodded and took a sip from her beer. "I will Lauren."

I felt nervous and awkward which were such foreign feelings for me. I am usually confident and outspoken. My job demanded it. I decided for a little small talk, "Did you always want to be in the CIA?"

She laughed a little and shook her head. "No. I graduated high school and I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. I didn't have any burning desire to pursue any one thing so I decided to join the military. I figured it would give me time to find what interested me. I was approached by the CIA about six months before I was done with my service."

I was intrigued, "So they recruited you. You didn't go to Langley and apply."

"Correct. The military had me take all sorts of tests but I had no idea they were screening me. I was twenty two. Young. They knew I spoke Russian. Kenzi taught me growing up together and they said I would be a good fit for continued government service. They made it sound so glamorous. Travel the world. Learn more languages and skills. Broaden my horizons. Meet all sorts of different people. I jumped at the chance."

"You sound bitter." I observed listening to her recount how she ended up where she was today.

"It just wasn't what I thought it would be. I built up this mental picture of what it would be like and it was the farthest from it. I learned to lie. Deceive. Kill when necessary without hesitation. Use people for Intel without caring about the consequences to them. I did travel the world but this kept me from any type of meaningful friendships or intimate relationships. I had to keep everyone I met at arm's length. My story and name at any given place was a lie. A cover that I had to live by. It wasn't the real me. About a year in I was in London. I met a civilian woman at a local bar down the street from where I was staying. My cover was bank manager transferred from the states after attending college at UCLA. Born and raised in Los Angeles. None of that was real. I was really there to try and track money through an asset that was being used for arms dealing. Anyway I fell for this woman and her for me but she eventually left me. She told me I was closed off. Secretive. That she wanted someone who was open completely. I couldn't be that for her. It broke my heart. A short time later I was transferred out of London for another operation. I knew then that it would always be that way. I just decided to not even try. Save me from hurting anyone else emotionally and myself as well."

My heart broke for her. I couldn't imagine that type of life. I could relate in some ways though and I told her so. "I can relate Bo. When I started at Yale I was going to be a doctor. About a year in I found that my real passion was for politics. I changed my major and went full steam ahead into getting my Master's degree in Political Science and start out young in local government. I felt I could change things for the better and that it would benefit so many people. I still believe that. I started a relationship with a woman my freshman year. We dated exclusively for the six years I attended college. We moved in together while I started my career on the City Council in New Haven. I had aspirations to become a Senator. My job and my ambitions kept me away from home a lot. My girlfriend cheated on me and when I found out she told me it was my fault. That I abandoned her and that all I cared about was work and getting ahead in my career. She moved out and left me. She said she wanted marriage, kids but that we had no future because those things were the farthest from my mind. She broke my heart and I decided that it was better to just dive head first into work and not pursue any type of romance. I felt this was the safest thing for me. I didn't want to be one of those Senator's that got caught up in some scandal in their personal life."

I stopped speaking and I could feel the blush creep up the back of my neck and ears. Bo was staring at me listening to my every word. Giving me her undivided attention and hanging on to everything I was telling her. I couldn't believe I just let all of that out to a stranger but I felt this pull to Bo. I couldn't explain it and I had never felt it before. So drawn to someone so instantly.

Bo finished her beer and got up from the couch. "I better go Lauren. I have some things to do tonight and I know you probably have to get up early."

I was disappointed but I knew she was right. It was about ten and I needed to get to bed. I took the empty bottle from her and dumped it in the recycling bin.

"Of course. Any way I plan on continuing to check the missions and budget reports like I have been doing. I will record anything new and relay it to you guys. Once Kenzi is done gathering what she can on the members of the Treasury department I will help her go through those file." I walked back into the living room and headed for the door.

Bo followed after me. "I am going tonight to surveil your parents' home and see what I can find. Tomorrow when you go to work and come home take a different route each time and watch for any one that may be following. When you park at work keep an eye on the other cars that are in the parking garage. If you leave for lunch and come back, park on a different level and see if any cars from before follow you to that level. Watch for cars in the neighborhood and anything that doesn't belong to your neighbors – remember the license plate number and Kenzi will run it."

I opened the door and turned to Bo, "I will and thank you. That is actually really good advice that I will follow. As soon as you learn anything about my family, let me know?"

"Of course." She started to walk out the door and I placed my hand on her lower back to follow behind her onto the porch. I felt something and lifted her shirt. She was carrying a gun. I don't know why that surprised me or what compelled me to lift her clothing but she turned around and pulled my hand away from her. Before she could say anything I blurted, "Teach me how to shoot."

She let go of my arm and looked at me with uncertainty. "I don't know Lauren-"

I cut her off adamant, "I want to learn. I think I should know how."

She still looked hesitant but she relented, "How about tomorrow?"

I smiled and nodded my head, "Perfect. I know you are meeting Hale tomorrow evening. I can make it a short day at the office and we can meet in the afternoon?"

She looked down quickly and spoke shyly. "Call me when you get home and I will pick you up."

She turned on her heel and walked to the car. I watched as she backed out of the driveway and drove away.

Bo POV 

I had about a five hour drive to Connecticut. That would get me there at about three in the morning. I was tired but I needed to do this. I needed to figure out if anyone was actively surveilling Lauren's family or if the pictures that were sent to Lauren were taken as a warning only. That her family didn't warrant 24/7 active eyes on observation.

I thought about Lauren as I drove. She was the first person outside of Tamsin and Kenzi that I have been that open and honest with. It scared me but I didn't want to stop. I wanted to keep sharing. I wanted to continue to open up. I felt like this was a type of second chance for me. I could be me – bare – with no cover to keep intact or script to follow. I could shed the deceit, lies and manipulation I learned over the years and change the outcome. Change my narrative.

When she told me about her college girlfriend and how she hurt Lauren, it made me rage inside. I couldn't see how anyone could treat her like that. The cheating – I just didn't understand it. Relationships break but the cheating was what made me angry.

As I drove I tried to rationalize my feelings. I was attracted to her because she was beautiful. I felt protective because I made a mistake today that could hurt her. I wanted to know her because I was lonely. All these things made sense to me but if I was honest with myself I knew it was more than that. I knew the woman for six hours and I was hooked.

I called Kenzi when I arrived at the Lewis's neighborhood.

"What?! Can't a girl get some sleep around here?" Kenzi answered the phone half yelling half asleep.

"Kenzi sorry. I know the hour is totally fucked. I am in Connecticut and I need you run license plates numbers as I call them out to you. Run the plates and look for any that are possibly stolen. Any plates for rental cars. Run each person they belong to and see if they live in the neighborhood and where they are employed."

I could hear her typing on the keyboard, "Ready."

I drove down the street and there were eight cars. I read off the license plates, make and model to Kenzi and she took the information. I left the neighborhood and started my drive back to the safe house.

"I will be back around nine Kenzi. I know we have loaded you up with so much. Please just get that when you can. I want to see what comes back on this first check and then I will continue to come back through here to see if we have anything to worry about for the time being."

As predicted I got home at nine. I drug myself into the house and landed on my bed. I didn't even bother changing.

I woke with a start when I heard my phone ring. I saw that it was Lauren and answered immediately, "Lauren. Hey."

"Hello Bo. Uh...is this a bad time?"

"What? No! I was just getting up." I lied. I wasn't getting up. I was dead asleep.

"Just getting up? It's noon. Are we still going to get together today?"

I could hear the hope in her voice and I couldn't stop the smile it gave me, "Of course. I just need to shower, change and grab a quick bite. Are you at home?"

"Yes. I am fixing a salad. I followed your advice about taking different routes to and from home and watching the vehicles in the parking garage at work. I didn't notice anyone following me or anything odd at work. How did things go on your end?"

"It is a five hour drive one way to Connecticut so don't pick on me for sleeping in," I teased, "I got the first set of cars and plates for Kenzi that were in the vicinity of your family's home. Kenzi will do her magic and we should know more soon."

"See you soon?" She asked.

"See you soon."

Lauren POV

I looked out the window and saw Bo pull up in Kenzi's car. I stepped out onto the front porch while closing and locking my front door. I didn't want her to have to walk up to the house just to turn around and head back to the car.

She leaned over and opened the passenger door for me. I got in the car and smiled, "Hello."

She smiled right back at me while she backed out of my driveway and it lit up her whole face. Her smile reached her eyes and it was stunning. I could tell she was tired. I saw the dark circles under her eyes.

"I am taking you out to my favorite place to shoot. It is outdoors and deserted. I find it peaceful and it isn't crowded like a shooting range can be."

"Perfect. Can I ask you as question?" I wanted to make the most out of the idle time we had and get to know her more. Pick up where we left off last night.

"Sure. Anything."

"Yesterday you told me that you were in the CIA. Did you retire or quit?" This had been something I was curious about. She mentioned it but didn't elaborate and I had a feeling there was more too it.

She sighed and glanced over at me, "I went dark. I was on assignment in Beirut. CIA assigned me there because I am fluent in Arabic. I was tracking a drug dealer that allegedly used his profits to fund various terrorist groups. I got a message from Tamsin that she needed me and I left my post. Abandoned my post. Not something I am proud of but I knew if Tamsin was asking me to come back to the states then it was urgent. You know the rest. I don't regret it at this point. As you know what we stumbled upon is critical. Last report Kenzi told me the CIA has flagged me as missing my last four check-ins and are looking for me in Lebanon."

I was surprised by what she told me but knowing what I know now I understood her reasoning for leaving. She couldn't tell the agency that she had to leave to stop some corrupt elements in our government.

"You are fluent in Russian and Arabic I gathered. Any other languages?"

"Farsi." She replied.

"I speak French, Italian and Portuguese fluently. Seems we both have a talent for languages."

She smiled at me, "I'm impressed."

We drove the rest of the way in silence. It was comfortable. I didn't feel the need to fill the air with chatter and it had a calming effect on me.

We pulled on to a dirt road and then out into an open field that had large piles of dirt everywhere. It reminded me of a construction area when they dig up dirt to lay down cabling or pipes underground.

Bo stopped the car and popped the trunk. She grabbed a small duffel bag and walked with me to a table about 200 feet from the car and put the bag down.

"What is this place?" I asked looking around.

"This land belonged to a guy, Steven, who was in my unit. His dad left it to him when he died. Steve got married and moved to Texas but he didn't want to sell the land here in Virginia. She gave me permission to come out here whenever I wanted to."

Bo unzipped the bag and pulled out ear protection for both of us. She laid out and opened a box that revealed a small firearm. There were paper targets and a staple gun as well.

When I looked out into the field I could see wooded poles sticking out of the ground that had cardboard attached in front of various piles of dirt.

She walked over to several poles and stapled fresh targets to the cardboard and then came back over to me and placed the remaining unused targets and staple gun into the bag.

She picked up the gun and then turned to me to ensure I was listening. "This is a Glock 26 Gen 3 which is classified as a sub-compact 9mm. This is an excellent gun to carry as a concealed firearm because it is reliable, light and compact."

I nodded my head that I understood. She went on to show me how to the safety works. How to load the magazine and what to do to put a round in the chamber.

She handed me the gun and instructed me on how to check if it is loaded and how to unload the weapon.

"Look out at that target." Bo pointed to a target she set up that was about twenty feet away. "Keep your finger outside the trigger guard, extended straight and flat on the side of the guard. Now hold the weapon in the firing position and steady it with your other hand. Make sure both your thumbs are clear of the slide. Your feet should be shoulder width apart with the foot opposite your dominant hand about a step past your other foot. Lean forward slightly. Bend your knees. The elbow of your dominant arm should be almost completely straight. Now aim with your dominant eye and close the other."

I followed her instructions and said, "Like this?"

"Yes! Perfect. You will want to control your breathing. Don't hold your breath and then squeeze the trigger. Don't jerk it and don't be scared of the kickback. Now I am going to place this over your ears."

I nodded and Bo covered my ears and she did the same. She gave me a thumbs up. I took a deep breath, aimed and fired. I missed and the shot hit the dirt behind the target.

I was disappointed. Bo placed her hand on my upper arm and squeezed in reassurance. She then walked behind me and wrapped herself around me. My breath hitched when I felt her body flush against my back. I shook my head a little to regain focus. She brought her arms up to mine and shift my shoulders while ensuring my elbow was straight. She let me go backed up and I instantly missed her warmth.

I aimed and fired again and hit the target. It wasn't center mass but I hit the target which was an improvement. Bo smiled at me and I continued practicing on the different targets she set up that were at varying distances from me.

I practiced for about two hours and by the end of it I was hitting center mass more than not and left comfortable with the feel of the weapon.

I took off the ear protection as did Bo. I unloaded the gun and made sure it was empty and handed it back to her. She took the magazine out and placed the parts into the carrying case and handed the case to me.

I looked at her confused and she explained, "This is yours. You did great today. All you need now is practice."

I shook my head, "Bo I can't accept this-"

She put her hand up stop me from speaking, "Please Lauren take it."

I smile and relented, "Thank you Bo."

"Before things get too crazy, and I believe they will, we can come out here and practice more if you like." She suggested.

"I would like that." I couldn't hide my smile.

Bo packed everything up into the duffel bag and we headed back to the car. She threw the bag in the trunk and opened my door for me. I placed gun case on the floor in the back seat and climbed in. She shut my door and circled around the car and got in.

We drove back mostly in silence. Bo complimented and praised me several times on how well I did and that I was a quick study. It made me happy that Bo was giving me such praise. I liked that she was proud of me.

We pulled up into my driveway at about four in the afternoon. I got out of the car and grabbed the gun case. Bo followed me out of the car. We walked up to the front porch together.

I dug my keys out of my pocket and unlocked my front door and opened it. I stepped in and placed the case on the ground inside by the door so I could put it away after Bo left.

I turned around and said, "Thank you again for today. For teaching me. I enjoyed it."

She smiled, stepped into my personal space and whispered, "Your welcome. I enjoyed it too."

Bo leaned forward and my breath caught. I felt her hand on my neck and her other on my waste. Out of instinct my hands came up and grabbed her hips pulling her closer to me, ending the last bit of space between us.

Bo gently placed her lips on mine. It was soft and tentative. I was lost in how it felt. How she felt. Her body against me and her lips on mine. I didn't realize I was holding my breath. The kiss became passionate and it felt incredible. Incredible to be kissed by this woman. It was as if we had been doing this for years. I felt her tongue glide along my bottom lip softly asking me for more. I opened my mouth and allowed her entrance. She deepened the kiss and I melted into her. A soft moan escaped me and I could feel Bo smile against me. She finally pulled back needing air and I released the breath I had been holding. She leaned her forehead against mine.

We stayed like this for a moment before she pulled back out of the embrace.

"I need to go meet Hale." She said and she stepped forward placing her right hand against my cheek giving me a light kiss before turning and stepping down off my porch.

She turned around and called to me with a smile, "Seen you soon."

I stood at my doorstep watching her until she was gone. I shut the door and leaned my back against it. I lifted my fingers to my lips and closed my eyes. The memory of her lips on mine came rushing back and I couldn't suppress the smile that was fighting to be let out.

It was perfect. I had only known her for twenty four hours but I couldn't stop the feeling that this was right and I wanted more.


	6. Chapter 6

Bo POV

I was on my to Hale's apartment. I was excited to see him again – it had been years since our last visit. On my way I received a call from Kenzi. She told me my truck was ready and that the plates I gave her from the Lewis's neighborhood didn't yield any suspicious results. I was grateful but I wasn't going to declare them safe until this whole thing was over. Between Tamsin and me we should be able to monitor Lauren's family to make sure things stayed quiet on that front. At least that was my plan. That was my hope. I knew that nothing was ever really guaranteed. Kenzi had also finished running the recording Tamsin took through all the audio filters she thought necessary and said it did wonders to the quality. I wanted to listen to it immediately but knew I should wait and listen when all four of us were together.

I decided to call Lauren and give her the news and hope that it eased her mind some.

"Hello Bo?" She half asked half answered. It made me smile to hear her voice.

"Lauren yeah. I wanted to tell you Kenzi didn't find anything suspicious with the plates I gave her to run from your parent's neighborhood last night. Tamsin and I will keep checking but at this point I don't think there is anything to worry about." I tried to sound as reassuring as possible. I knew I couldn't promise her but if this helped ease at least some of her stress and anxiety then I was happy.

I could hear the relief and smile in her voice, "Oh that is great news. Thank you. I feel like I can breathe a little now since this started."

"I'm glad I could bring you some good news. On another note Kenzi is finished with the recording. She said the audio is much clearer now. I was wondering if I could pick you up after I meet with Hale and take you back to the safe house and we can all listen to this thing together."

"Please do. I want to know if there is anything else on that recording that can give us any idea of who and what is involved." Lauren replied.

"I will call you when I am on the way back towards you. See you soon ok?" I asked her feeling excited and nervous at the same time at the thought of seeing her again.

We disconnected the call and I put my phone on the passenger's seat. My mind wandered to Lauren. It was refreshing and different spending time with her this afternoon. It felt like the whole world fell away and for just a little while it was only us. There was no outside world. No conspiracy that pulled at us. It wasn't the Senator and the CIA agent. It was Bo and Lauren. I desperately wanted to hold on to that and I desperately wanted to explore it further. I understood the circumstances in which we met and the reasons for it where not ideal for what I was thinking. If I was being completely honest with myself I knew that I shouldn't look at or think of Lauren the way I do. This wasn't the time. This wasn't the place. My training rebelled at the idea of it. The other part of me begged to know this woman. We had known each other for a day but even in that short amount of time I was drawn to her and felt compelled to follow it. This was my second chance in a lot of ways. If we could successfully climb out of this hole we found ourselves in then I could put myself together again. Live again. Be free again. I lived and breathed the agency for seven years and I was done. I never imagined doing anything else but now I can't imagine going back.

I was still reeling from the kiss that I shared with her. I had this urge to feel her, to connect with her and I acted on it before any other part of me stopped it. She didn't push me away. She didn't get angry. Lauren responded to me with just as much want and need and it was then I knew that she at least partly felt what I was feeling. The mere thought of this made me smile and gave me something to hope for.

I pulled into an empty parking space under a car port at Hale's apartment building. I wasn't sure what he was driving now so I couldn't tell if he was home or not. I jogged across the parking lot and headed to building one. I climbed the stairs to apartment 1497 and I could see lights on inside and hear the muffled sounds of a TV.

I knocked and stepped back from the door while I waited. Just a moment later the door swung open and Hale stood there stunned with his shirt untucked and his tie undone but still hanging around his neck. I must have caught him while he was changing.

I gave him a smile and greeted him, "Hale."

He returned my smile with one of his own. It reached his eyes and his whole face lit up. "Hey you! How long has it been? Come here!" Hale had his arms opened wide. I stepped forward and embraced him. It felt good to see my friend again. He let go of me and motioned for me to come inside.

I walked over to a bar stool by a small bar that faced the kitchen and sat down. He stepped around on the other side and handed me a beer. "I gotta ask. What are you going by these days?"

"Bo Dennis. How have you been Hale?" I asked as I took a sip from the bottle Hale handed to me.

"I can't complain. Still working for RNC but I bet you knew that already. Nothing really new for me since I last saw you. How long has it been?" He responded and motioned to me.

"Oh two years give or take," I looked around the apartment and commented, "looks like you're still single. What's up Hale? You are too good to not find someone and get out of the bachelor life."

Hale laughed and shook his head at me, "I could say the same for you. I'm keeping my options open. Haven't found the right lady yet. So what brings you here? Is this just a friendly visit?"

I sighed and looked away from him. I felt guilty using our friendship for information but Kenzi didn't have a backdoor into the RNC network and while she could hack her way in – she couldn't be certain how long it would take and what she could gain access to.

"Unfortunately it isn't just a friendly visit but please know it is so good to see you. I wouldn't be here asking for a favor if it wasn't important but I need information from inside RNC. I am hoping you can help me out. I can't really tell you what this is about and if that is a problem-"

Hale cut me off waving his hand at me to stop talking. "I trust you and if you need something and it is within my power I will give it to you. You should know that by now. As far as not sharing the details with me….I am not sure if I want to know. Just warn me if some bad shit is headed my way."

I smiled at him. I should have known he would understand. He is such a good man. I don't think it was possible for him to deny his friends anything if he had the means to help.

"Thank you Hale. I mean it. There was an asset that worked for RNC. His name was David Kagen. Can you find out who he was reporting to and what operation he was assigned to and if there are any other US assets that line up with what Kagen was doing?"

Hale opened a drawer and pulled out a pen and a pad of paper. He wrote down the name and the things I asked for and folded the sheet of paper and placed it in his pocket. "I can do that. I can have that by end of day tomorrow. I am assuming this is something you don't want to discuss over the phone once I have it?"

"You assume correct. Write down your cell number and I will call you tomorrow. We can figure out when and where to meet up." Hale wrote his number down on another sheet of paper and passed it to me.

"Hale, do you have any insight into any assets in Iran or do you just cover the logistics and assets in the states?

"I just cover the states Bo. Why?"

Since we heard Iran on the recording I decided it would be beneficial to peek around the RNC office over in Iran if possible. "No reason really. Who heads that office?"

"Dyson Thornwood. Good guy from what I can tell but I only met him a few times."

Dyson. Why did that name sound so familiar to me? I prided myself on remembering names and faces. It went hand in hand with covert operations but I couldn't place it and I knew I had heard it somewhere before. "Thanks Hale. Thanks for the beer. I hate to just dump this on you and leave but I have another meeting I need to get to."

Hale walked around the bar to where I was standing up and gave me another hug. We said our goodbyes and I told him I would call him tomorrow.

As I walked back to Kenzi's car I pulled out my phone and called Tamsin.

She answered the phone in her usual gruff and tough voice, "What's up Bo?"

"Where are you?" I asked. I wanted to get everyone over to the safe house so we could listen to the recording that Kenzi cleaned up.

"With Kenzi picking up your truck. She needed to get out of the house and away from those damn monitors for a little while. Why?"

"I am leaving Hale's apartment now. I am picking up Lauren and will meet you back at the house if that works for you?" I asked as I backed out of the parking space and pulled out of the apartment complex.

"Yeah. We will probably beat you there so I will wait. I want to know what your friend Hale said about RNC and listen to this recording without all the shit noise in the background."

"Thanks for picking up my truck." I said and Tamsin issued a no problem and hung up. I then called Lauren and let her know I was about twenty minutes away if the traffic permitted.

Lauren POV

True to her word Bo pulled into my driveway twenty minutes after she called. I had already closed and locked my house and was waiting for her on the front porch. I wanted to enjoy the fall air. I loved the cool weather where it was still comfortable enough to only wear a light coat. I loved the city when the snow fell but the freezing temperatures were always a bit harsh for me. I walked to the car and let myself in so Bo didn't have to get out.

She glanced at me and smiled. She seemed shy and a bit nervous. I found it to be endearing and I wondered if it had anything to do with earlier. For the little time I have known her, Bo did not seem like the type of person that would be shy about anything. She was so confident and sure of herself that to see her as anything else intrigued me. I wanted to peel the layers back and really see the woman underneath.

I noticed that we did not drive straight to the safe house. When I asked her about it she told me that she was taking a very indirect route to ensure we were not being followed. It was a logical way to approach the situation and I was glad for all the precautions.

Forty five minutes later we arrived at our destination. Bo pulled the car into the garage and I noticed a Ford truck out in the driveway. I wondered who else could be here and why I hadn't met them the other day. "Whose truck is that?"

Bo answered me as we walked into the house, "That is my truck. It needed repairs. Tamsin and Kenzi picked it up for me earlier today. I think Kenzi has been missing her car."

I was surprised and replied, "Don't take this the wrong way Bo but in no way did I ever peg you as the truck type."

She pushed me playfully and gave me a mock glare, "Don't knock the truck," she smiled and went on to explain, "I got it for its durability and the space it provides me for storage. It also blends in better than the type of cars I am in love with. I much prefer American classic muscle cars like the 1980 Corvette 4 Speed, 1969 CHARGER RT, 1970 Barracuda Project. Maybe one day but right now it doesn't seem feasible to invest in something like that."

Her face lit up at just the mention of the cars she had a passion for. I liked seeing her excited about something. Her whole demeanor changed and she seemed almost carefree if only for just a moment.

I smiled as we sat down on the couch together. She sat a little closer to me than before but I readjusted. I didn't want Tamsin or Kenzi to start asking questions. I wanted to impress Bo with the little knowledge I had about cars and I started on one of my rants.

"1970 Plymouth Barracuda with 426 Hemi V-8, 425 horsepower at 5000 rpm, 10.25 to 1 compression ration with dual exhaust." Bo looked at me awestruck and I was ecstatic that I could share some of my knowledge of cars with her. It seemed we had something in common and I had to bite my lip to keep my smile from growing.

"You know cars! I never would have thought. That is impressive." Bo exclaimed looking at me with a type of wonder in her eyes

Tamsin cut in and popped our little bubble, "Kenzi has the recording queued up. Everyone ready?"

I gestured that we were ready and Kenzi started the cleaned copy of the recording for the room to hear.

" _We have the foreign assets in place provided by RNC."_

" _They are aware of what needs to be done?"_

" _Yes everyone is aware and ready to move forward when we give the go. The Vice President is on board?""_

" _Yes and he agrees the monetary costs for this cannot tie back to us and should be siphoned from the intelligence budget as you have been doing."_

" _I already have someone in place inside Treasury that is moving the money offshore."_

" _You do understand that by allowing Iran to keep their nuclear program in exchange for cheap oil will cost American jobs?"_

" _Once Vice President Hill takes office he will push the necessary labor bills and funding through Congress to compensate for the lost jobs. The bill and his efforts will then be the building blocks for his reelection in two years for a full four year term."_

" _Have you figured out to get rid of our little obstacle?"_

" _I do not have a when or where yet but our third party friends have an asset in place to get the information we need to find the opportune time to eliminate our issue."_

The recording stopped and everyone was quiet. I was trying to process everything I heard and I spoke aloud trying to make sense of it, "RNC has assets in Iran and it sounds like they are either aware of this whole thing or at least their part in it. We know the Vice President, his Chief of Staff, the CIA director and RNC are involved along with someone in Treasury that is moving the money offshore. We were right about that. There could be more people involved that we are not even aware of. It sounds like they are plotting to allow Iran to keep their nuclear program in exchange for cheap oil. I don't know if that is the only reason or why. It sounds like the President is not a part of this and that they plan on removing him from office. I don't know if that means assassination or by other means. "

I looked at Bo and she nodded her agreement and said, "That is my take as well. We don't know the why of this or who else is involved. We should keep this to ourselves for now and keep digging for more information. Find someone we can trust that we know is not involved and see if we can expose this before there is any more damage done."

"Hotpants I got all the deep dark inside info on all the Treasury members. If you like we can go over these together tomorrow. I think you would have a better idea what to look for than me. I also traced the money that was taken and it is all spread out into three different offshore accounts at the Bank of Macau. I tagged the accounts so we will know when they are accessed."

I was impressed by Kenzi's ability to find information and access it from virtually anywhere in the world no matter the institution but I was confused by what she called me and I gave her a look and whispered, "Hotpants?"

Bo leaned over and whispered in my ear, "She gives everyone a nickname. Just go with it."

I nodded unable to speak. Feeling Bo so close and feeling her breath against me was making it difficult for me to concentrate and form a response. She pulled away from me and I shivered missing the warmth that radiated off of her. I was certain the others in the room could see and read my reaction and I tried to hide the fact that I was blushing. Being a politician I had learned long ago not to outwardly react to situations or questions. I could reign in my emotions and put up a front that would not give away what I may be thinking or feeling inside. I tried to cling to that now but Bo had an effect on me that was profound and my attempts to cover it were in vain.

I tried to compose myself and responded to Kenzi, "I would like to look at those files with you tomorrow. Unless things run long, tomorrow should be a short day at the office since things are winding down for the Senate recess on September 7th. "

Tamsin finally spoke up after sitting quietly almost the entire time we have been here. "I agree with you as well Lauren. You pretty much summed up what we heard. Getting started on those Treasury files is a good place as any to start. It would be nice to find who actually moved the money and having those accounts tagged should lend us more info when they are accessed and I am guessing that we won't be waiting long. I couldn't put any type of monitoring on Director Long's phone without anyone noticing. I am hoping for the opportunity to do so but it has been hectic and I can't cover my tracks with so many eyes on me right now. Bo what happened with Hale?"

"He is going to look into David Kagen, what operation he was assigned to and who he reported to along with any other RNC employees that might fit what Kagen was into. He should have more information tomorrow. It won't be until early evening and I will go meet him in person. On a hunch I asked him if he had access to assets and logistics in Iran but he doesn't. He isn't sure who has that role over in their Iranian office but he did tell me that Dyson Thornwood is the director of RNC interests in Iran."

I saw Tamsin tense when she heard that name and I could only suspect that she knew this man.

Bo continued, "Tamsin I swear I have heard that name before but I can't remember where or from when. Do you know?"

Tamsin shifted putting her arms on her knees and learned forward. She let out an audible breath and replied, "Dyson applied to be an analyst for the NSA four years ago. He was part of my team that provided the CIA with analysis and intelligence for the mission you lead in Belarus."

Bo leaned back against the couch and clapped her hands together, "Yes I remember now. Do you know how he got involved with RNC if he was working with the NSA? Do you think he is involved in this?"

"I don't know if he is involved in this shit show but he applied for a job at RNC when the NSA rejected his application for Intelligence Analyst. He sailed through the Operational interview and he seemed promising so they offered him a CJO which was contingent on passing the psychological testing, polygraph examination and security clearance. He passed the polygraph but failed the psychological testing which denied him his security clearance so the NSA pulled their conditional job offer."

 _Flashback_

 _I knew Dyson failed the psychological testing and his CJO would be pulled. I hated that I knew this but he did not. He was excited about the job and was learning fast and I was excited about him. I was informed at the end of the day that he would be let go the following day and held to uphold his confidentially agreement. Dyson had been with the NSA for about four weeks while waiting for the results of the testing that all analysts had to go through. Dyson and I hit it off immediately. I was happy with him and I hoped that even though the NSA didn't take him we would still see each other. I didn't want our relationship to end but I was scared how he would react to the news. I went home with Dyson like I usually did after work and we ate dinner together. He could tell that something was bothering me and he questioned me when we were finished eating._

" _Babe, you have been quiet since we left the office. What's wrong?"_

 _I gave him a feeble smile and answered, "Nothing at all. I am just tired D." I walked up to him and put my arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. I pulled him into a hug and whispered into his ear, "Make love to me?" It was more of a statement than a question. I just wanted to feel him and make my fear and insecurities go away._

 _Dyson didn't answer me but picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. He carried me to his room and took me to bed._

 _A few hours later I was laying on my side with my head on his shoulder. He had me wrapped up in his arms and I couldn't shake the dread in my stomach. I decided I was going to tell him tonight so it wouldn't be such a shock to him tomorrow._

 _I rolled over onto my stomach and propped myself up on my elbows. "Dyson I need to tell you something."_

 _He looked at me and started running his hand up and down my back. "What is it? Does it have to do with why you are so off tonight?"_

 _I took a deep breath and nodded, "It is. You know how I was pulled aside after work today with the other analysts?"_

 _He nodded._

" _Dyson you didn't pass the psychological testing. The NSA is going to pull their conditional job offer tomorrow. I am so sorry."_

 _He shot up and glared at me, "What the fuck do you mean I didn't pass? How could I not pass? I have been doing exceptional work this past month. I passed the polygraph and the operational interview. What could be so bad that I failed this?"_

 _I sat up with him and shook my head, "I don't know Dyson. They don't tell us that. I just know you failed and won't be given a permanent offer."_

 _He stood up and pulled his jeans on and turned on me, "Get out." His voice was cold and harsh._

" _What?" I was shocked and a bit startled from his tone._

" _This is ridiculous and fucked up. I haven't been looking anywhere else. I put all my energy into this job. They probably found out we are sleeping together and that is why they are dumping me. I just want you gone. Get out."_

 _I got up and dressed quickly. I turned at his bedroom doorway and his back was to me. "Dyson you're mad. Don't do this. It isn't because we are sleeping together. That doesn't factor in. Can you calm down and just talk to me?"_

" _I want you away from me." He said without turning around to face me._

 _I left his apartment that night and the next morning he came in and the NSA pulled the CJO and let him go. I tried calling him throughout the day and night but he ignored my calls._

 _He blamed me and it broke my heart. I stopped calling after a week of nonstop attempts. He never once picked up and he never once called back._

 _I found out later he applied at RNC._

 _End Flashback_

After Tamsin told us the story of how she knew Dyson the tension in the room grew. No one really knew what to say. I didn't really know Tamsin that well and wasn't sure how to offer any kind of support.

Bo got up from the couch and walked over to where Tamsin was sitting. She placed her hand on Tamsin's shoulder and said, "Tamsin I'm sorry. I never knew that. He doesn't deserve you if he is going to blame you for such a thing. We don't need to talk to him. At least not right now and if we do I can make contact. I don't want to drag you through those memories any more than you have already."

Tamsin looked up and smiled, "Thank you Bo but it was a long time ago and I am fine. Look I am heading out. I am tired and have work tomorrow."

We issued goodnight and she left through the garage.

Bo turned and spoke to Kenzi, "You think you may have something from Kagen's phone by tomorrow evening? Not pushing you but it would be great to have something from that phone to go with whatever Hale finds for us."

"I am working on it now. No problem BoBo. Now let me get movin on it without you breathing down my neck. Here are your keys. Take Lauren home."

Bo grabbed the keys and motioned for me to follow her. She exited out the front door to head for her truck and I started to follow her.

As I was leaving Kenzi turned around to face me and grabbed my wrist, "You and Bo?"

I didn't answer her. I didn't know what to say or how she would react. I wasn't sure what any of it meant. We kissed – once. That doesn't really define anything and we weren't sharing our feeling with each other….whatever they were.

She let me go and said, "I know my big sis. I can see it. I don't need you to confirm it."

It wasn't accusatory. It seemed the woman wanted me to know she could see that there was something more below the surface. I nodded and left the house shutting the door behind me.

Bo POV

I was lost in my head thinking about Tamsin. Once she mentioned Belarus I remembered meeting Dyson once before leaving for Minsk and thought he was a nice guy. The NSA had some actionable information and I coordinated with Tamsin and her group to lay out what I was required to do. I had no idea that Tamsin was seeing him. She never said anything to me. I wish she would have. If I had known then I could have helped her through it. She dealt with it alone and it bothered me as her friend that I was helpless to do anything about it.

Lauren and I drove back to her house in silence. I think we were both absorbed in everything that we heard and learned tonight. I was tired. I was beyond tired. The three hours of sleep I got was catching up with me. I was having a rough time keeping my thoughts straight. My mind was scattered.

I pulled into Lauren's driveway and shut off my truck.

I turned to her and said, "Call tomorrow when you are off work and one of us will pick you up and take you back to the house. I'm sorry you can't use your car but we want that GPS chip intact and we don't want it to ping off our location."

"I understand Bo. I will call when I am home and see who is available to get me. I am eager to look at those files. Since I learned of this whole conspiracy after finding those budget discrepancies I have been wanting to dive into this."

I understood how she felt. I felt the same way. I wanted to be done with this – to have resolved the problem. I wanted to take action and produce an outcome. I wanted the elements in our government punished and restore things to the way they should be. I believed in our government and in the process and this power play turned my stomach.

My tired mind only allowed me semi-rational thoughts. "Lauren. I am going to kiss you now. Tell me if you don't want me to."

I waited and Lauren didn't say a word. I could see her eyes flickering from my eyes to my lips. I leaned forward and captured her mouth with mine. I loved how she felt. I let her set the pace. She urged my mouth open and deepened the kiss. I moaned and grabbed her by the back of the neck holding her in place. She finally pulled away from me and I could see desire in her eyes. The look she gave me aroused me and I had to look away.

I grabbed her hand and spoke, "There is something about you Lauren. I am drawn to you. I know it doesn't make any sense. I know this is the worst possible time but I felt it the moment I saw you and I don't want to ignore it and I am hoping you feel the same way."

She squeezed my hand and was silent which worried me. I was scared I shared too much and it wasn't right or proper. I had so little experience that I wasn't sure if I made a mistake. I was tired and fumbling around in the dark hoping that my honesty was what was needed and wanted.

Lauren finally spoke, "This is the worst time for this Bo but I feel the same way. I don't want to let this pass me by like I have done in the past because things in life are difficult and complicated or because I am scared or too absorbed in work."

I was relieved. She felt the same connection I did and it was overwhelming. I had a fear I would hurt her or scare her away with the things I had done in my past and my lack of experience in such situations.

"I know I can't take you out on a proper date. Not with this thing looming over our heads. Plus you are a Senator whose private life is always subjected to the media and the public and now isn't a good time to be seen with me. Well at least for now but I want to know you. I want to know the Lauren that no one else gets the privilege of knowing."

She placed her hand on my cheek and I leaned into her touch. Her hand felt good against my face. She let me go and said, "This definitely isn't the traditional way I would do this but we didn't meet in a normal way nor are we in a normal situation. I think we should just take each day at a time and navigate it together."

I smiled and let go of her hand. "I would like that more than anything. I should go. I will talk to you tomorrow?"

"Of course." She leaned forward and gave me a chaste kiss goodbye and shut the door to my truck. I sat and made sure she made it into her house safely and then I headed home.

When I got home Kenzi was still at her desk working hard on the cell phone. I was headed through the living room making a straight shot to my bedroom.

As I passed her she spoke to me without looking up, "I can see it you know. You and Lauren. I like her and I have never seen you like this before. You seem lighter. Happier. More at peace and that is all I want for you."

I wasn't surprised Kenzi noticed the connection between Lauren and me. She saw everything. She observed and watched and caught things most people would miss. I was happy to have her approval. She was my family and her opinion mattered to me more than anything.

"Kenz, I like her and I know this is shit timing. I know we barely know each other but she pulls me in and I can't ignore it."

"I don't want you to ignore it BoBo. Just be careful and don't let this new interest get in the way of what we need to do."


	7. Chapter 7

Lauren POV

Congress is only in session 137 days out of the year. The days aren't consecutive but I could stay busy regardless of whether we were in session or not. I tried to stay occupied with work full time. Whether it was reading or amending legislature or digging through various budget reports there was never a lack of work to be done. Staying engrossed in paperwork helped keep the loneliness at bay. It was a choice that I had made. To throw myself into my job and by the time I went home in the evening I was so tired I didn't have the energy to focus on the quiet and stillness of my home. The emptiness of it but despite that I prided myself on my passion and dedication to my work. I was the youngest woman to be elected into the Senate and my ambitions had me aiming even further. Over the last few days I started to wonder if I could have it all. A career, friends, a partner – that I didn't have to give up a personal life for a professional one.

On my way into the office this morning I took the scenic route. I watched closely as I drove to see if I could pick up on any signs that I was being followed. If I didn't know just how real and serious this was I would have felt ridiculous and a bit paranoid. I was all too aware that at this point paranoia was an attribute to be embraced. I arrived at work without issue. I didn't see anything that caused me any alarm though I wasn't really trained for that type of thing. I thought about asking Bo to teach me any techniques that might help me detect things I wouldn't normally register. It would be beneficial and it gave me an excuse to spend more time with her. There had to be more she could share with me. We only really glossed over some basic things the other day.

The thought of seeing Bo again brought an automatic smile to my face and made my heart race. I was in awe of this instant attraction. No one had ever made me feel like this before so quickly though I didn't really have much to compare it too. Nadia was my only long term serious relationship and if I was being honest with myself, I was so focused on school and then my career that I didn't really open myself up to her like I could have. Should have. It hurt when things fell apart between us. I was devastated that she cheated on me but I knew I had held back with her and that was something I didn't want to do again. I was scared to open myself up fully but the fear of never finding the connection I longed for but buried under the guise of work put that fear in perspective. I was ready to take the risk and when I met Bo it was like a fog had been lifted.

As I suspected the work day was light. I took some time and checked the line items on the weekly budget report but didn't find any new operations or anything that looked suspicious. It made me wonder if these people were done siphoning money. If they finally had the funding they needed then it was logical that things would progress to the next step – whatever that may be and when the money exchanged hands things were going to start moving quickly. There was sixty million in total that had been removed from the budget over the last month. This amount was minuscule considering the Intelligence budget for this year alone was a little over forty five billion. This was probably why the other committee members were not concerned when I first brought it to their attention. The fact was that the bottom line didn't balance out but this wasn't an uncommon occurrence. There were so many moving parts that it would be very easy for someone to shift things around enough to cover the missing amount if no one was specifically looking for it or paid close enough attention to the individual parts and not just the big picture. It didn't escape my notice. It was one of the reasons I was appointed to this position. I had an incredible ability to see detail – to see through the picture and follow all the parts.

Since things at the office were slow I decided to leave early. It didn't escape me that this was the second day in a row that I left the office before the late hours of the evening. I headed home while being mindful of the drivers around me though again it didn't appear I had anything to worry about. I wanted to go over the files that Kenzi dug up so once I arrived home I called Bo to see if she would pick me up but she didn't answer. I couldn't quite shake off the disappointment I felt but I pushed it to the back of my mind. I assumed Tamsin would be at work so I tried contacting Kenzi. The girl picked up almost immediately and sounded more than enthusiastic to be my chauffeur. It was a bit annoying to have to be driven back and forth but I understood why it needed to be done.

Kenzi showed up at my front door about twenty minutes after I talked to her. I wasn't surprised that she didn't need directions and I didn't offer any. From what I gathered in the short time I had known her, Kenzi was extremely brilliant and very resourceful.

I yelled for Kenzi to hold on a moment while I double checked that everything was locked and then I set the alarm. I met her outside and we walked to her car in silence. As soon as I fastened my seat belt I realized I was still dressed in my pants suit and hadn't bothered to even change into any thing comfortable. I decided it wasn't worth the hassle to go back now.

As soon as she was settled, Kenzi took off out of my driveway and my neighborhood with little to no regard to any other cars or people on the road. She was a truly frightening driver. To keep myself focused on something other than our impending death, I tried to strike up some small talk. "Thanks for picking me up."

"Of course Hotpants. I was ready for a break. It gets tiring sitting at a computer all day cooped up in that house. I miss my apartment! I miss direct sunlight for that matter." Kenzi replied as she took another left turn entirely too fast causing the tires to squeal.

I held onto the door frame and said, "Well I'm glad I could help. I tried calling Bo but she didn't answer."

Kenzi looked over at me with a knowing smile, "Is that your not so subtle way of asking where she is?"

I turned to look out the window so I could hide the slight blush I felt on my cheeks at her comment. "No of course not. I was just making a statement."

She shook her head at me, "If that's your story. I will tell you what I told Bo. Be careful. Don't let this new love interest get in the way of what we need to do. Other than that I am happy for the two of you. It's not like it isn't obvious with all the eye sex you guys are having. Don't deny it. I can see it. I like you but I'm warning you now that you better not hurt her. You guys have only known each other for a few days but I have never seen Bo like this before and that's a good thing."

I tried to hide my irritation. First Bo threatened me and now Kenzi. The threats were for completely different reasons but that didn't change the fact that it happened.

I decided to voice my concern, "Did you just threaten me?"

Kenzi smirked at me. "I'm not threatening you. I am giving you an open ended warning. A threat is more of a direct effort at controlling your behavior using fear. I'm not trying to do that. I am just protective of her. She is my big sister, uh well foster sister and I am only returning the favor."

I laughed and took her word for fact. I admired Kenzi for her blunt honesty. It was refreshing. Her statement made me curious, "What favor if you don't mind me asking?"

"I don't mind. I am only two years younger than Bo. I was dumped into the same foster home with her when I was eight. Pretty much from then on she took care of me. Protected me at home and at school. Helped me out when I got into trouble. She even helped pay for my college education. Though she never said anything to me, I could tell she wasn't happy after joining up with the agency. I don't even think she realized she was unhappy but I could see it on the rare occasions when she came to visit. Anyway she took care of me then so I will take care of her now in any way I can."

I felt a little envious of the relationship Kenzi described. It made me wish that I and my brother shared the same type of bond and closeness that Bo and Kenzi had. I decided that it wasn't too late to start now. Well after this whole ordeal was finished at least. I could make an effort to connect with him.

"It is wonderful that you two have such a strong relationship. I don't have that with my brother but maybe after this is over I can try to at least bridge the gap."

Kenzi smiled at me as she pulled into the garage, "It is never too late."

I followed her inside and she handed me a stack of files as she sat back down at her desk.

"Those are the phone records, bank account information and other tidbits for every employee in the Office of Fiscal Service. I checked and that office is the only one responsible for the operation of the financial infrastructure of the federal government. All the other facets of the Treasury department wouldn't be able to pull something like this off. "

I was again impressed. Kenzi pulled all this information, albeit illegally, for fifty three government employees by hacking into the telephone company, wireless providers, financial institutions, personnel files among other things. It was quite a skill she had. It made me realize that running things electronically was convenient but created huge opportunities for security breaches.

I sat down on the couch and tossed the files on the coffee table, "Have you looked through these files at all?"

"No I figured you would be best for that. I need to keep on this phone and check on a few other things."

I picked up the first file and began my invasion into the personal and private lives of my fellow government co-workers.

About an hour later and eight files done, Bo came barging through the door. I was so wrapped up in file number nine that the sudden intrusion startled me. She smacked Kenzi on the arm and then looked over at me and smiled. Her smile was infectious and lit up her whole face. I couldn't help but smile back.

"Hi." She said as she pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket and started scrolling through it.

"Hi." I replied.

She lifted her phone for me to see, "I am so sorry. I was waiting for you to call. I didn't even realize that you already had and I missed it. I was at the range I took you to yesterday. I'll be right back. I just need to put this stuff away."

She disappeared somewhere towards the back of the house for a few minutes before coming back and sitting down next to me.

"What are you up to?" Bo asked me as she leaned a little closer to me to see what was in the file I had in my lap.

"Looking through the files Kenzi gathered to see if I can get any idea who might have moved the money offshore that was taken off the budget."

"Any luck?" She asked.

I shook my head, "No not yet but eight down and forty five almost forty four more to go."

Kenzi turned around in her chair so she was facing us, "BoBo! I get a smack on the arm and she gets an actual hello? Is that how it is?"

Bo laughed and said, "Hello Kenz. What do you have for me?"

"I thought you would never ask. I checked on the latest with the CIA. Your listed as status unknown. They are no longer devoting resources to locate you in Beirut or anywhere else though there is an alert on your status in their system for agents or whoever that would be aware that you are or at least were on the payroll. So nothing really to worry about there I don't think unless you draw attention to yourself. I checked the numbers that were on the phone you took from David Kagen. There were only two. One number belonged to a woman that I believe was his girlfriend because she doesn't connect to anything unusual and they were living together. The other number I can't track. There were both incoming and outgoing calls made to it but I can't ping it, trace it or track it. It is either a burner phone or a phone like the ones we are using to talk to each other. Encrypted or whatever. Maybe Tamsin can do something with it. You know the crazy and all powerful eyes and ears of the NSA."

"Good deal Kenz. Thanks. Give that number to Tamsin when you see her or call her when she gets off work. Maybe she can get ears on it. Hey also ask her if she will head out to Connecticut and do a run through of the Lewis's neighborhood and see if there is anything of note."

"Will do. I also took another peek at the investigation into David Kagen's death by the DC Metro Police. They know he worked at Rayburn-Northman and their doing their typical interviews with his co-workers and direct superiors at RNC but there are no witnesses or anything else at this point linking that shooting to you. You got lucky on that Bo."

Bo scoffed and replied, "I know I did. I know I screwed up. I wish that never had happened. I appreciate you keeping tabs on that Kenzi. I really do. I'm going to grab something to eat. Is anyone else hungry?"

I shook my head that I wasn't but Kenzi jumped at the chance. "I am I am. Pizza BoBo. You know how I like it."

Bo reached over and squeezed my knee and got up to leave. I wanted to follow her. Her entire mood changed when Kenzi mentioned the shooting. I didn't really know all the details and I was curious but decided to let it go for now. I didn't want to push something that was obviously a sensitive subject but I made a mental note to press Bo for more information when we were alone.

Bo left and I started looking through the files again. It was a very tedious task. I had yet to find anything but I wasn't even half way through the stack. Bo returned and she and Kenzi ate in the kitchen while I continued perusing through mountains of information. When Bo was finished she joined me back on the couch. She just sat with me and looked at each file while I studied it. I enjoyed having her near me. We were settled into a comfortable silence and she watched me work.

A few hours later while I was going through the incoming calls for a James Kokemor I skimmed across a phone number I recognized immediately. I was grateful for my eidetic memory. I pulled the file over to Bo and pointed to the number, "Do you recognize that number?"

She shook her head and asked, "No. Why? Do you?"

"Yes. That is Director Long's office number at Langley."

"I can't think of any reason why the director of the CIA would need to call someone in the Office of Fiscal Service. Can you?" Bo asked.

I closed the file and placed it separate from the others on the coffee table, "No. I am placing this one aside and we can look into it further. That call may or may not be connected to all this but if it wasn't a legitimate phone call then it appears Director Long got sloppy. All phone calls that go through The Treasury Building's phone system are recorded. I am not sure how long they keep the recordings but it is worth trying to access. As a matter of fact all calls that go through the Senate building's phone system are recorded as well. I assume anything on a government phone line isn't private. I don't know how we could get the recording though. Kenzi do you think you can access any phone recordings that might be archived?"

Kenzi blurted out, "Yep. Don't count me out on that. Maybe I can get into it. I don't know. If not then maybe BoBo could use her super-secret spy moves or Tamsin could use her NSA claws to get to it. We just need to find out where they are stored and if it is accessible from where I have been able to hack into so far."

Bo laughed and replied, "Kenzi really? Spy moves and claws? What the fuck?"

"Don't mock me! Now let me get to work. I could do wicked wicked things having access to the Treasury."

"I don't want to know. Just let us know if you can get it. Anyway I got go. I need to meet Hale. Lauren do you want walk me out?" Bo said as she stood up.

I was stiff from sitting for so long. I was ready to get up and move around a bit. I also wouldn't pass up the chance to spend a little alone time with Bo. I got up and motioned for her to go ahead of me.

Bo wished Kenzi farewell and reminded her to talk to Tamsin. We walked out to Bo's truck in silence.

She turned around a leaned her back against the driver's door. "Good catch on that file. I hope it leads us somewhere. How many more do you have to look at?"

"I am about two thirds of the way done. I will get it all finished today. Tamsin might have news and then whatever you find out from Hale and the stuff that Kenzi digs up. Tomorrow is Saturday and maybe with all that we can figure out our next move though I guess it all depends."

Bo grabbed my arm and pulled me closer, "A lot of this depends on what we find and when we find it compared to what they are doing and when they do it. Uh…does that make sense?"

I laughed and shook my head, "Yes I know exactly what you mean. Where are you meeting Hale?"

"A little bar about fifteen minutes from here. I don't want to go anywhere that might have prying eyes and ears. Which is pretty much any restaurant or bar around the Capital. I feel a bit more comfortable with a hole in the wall beer joint."

"That actually sounds nice right about now. Well I don't want you to be late. So…" I was nervous and unsure of what to say. I had never been this tongue tied before. As a Senator I couldn't afford to be.

Bo must have picked up on my unease, "Come here." She pulled me to her and wrapped her arms around my waist. I returned the embrace. We fit together perfectly. I wanted to stay like this.

Bo whispered in my ear causing me to shiver, "I will call you when I'm done. See where you're at. How does that sound?"

"Good. That sounds good." I replied.

Bo pulled away from me and smile, "Ok. See you soon." She opened the door and climbed in. I backed away and waved as she shut it. I watched her leave and then headed back into the house to finish what I started.

Bo POV

I was anxious to meet with Hale. I wanted to find out what he may have learned today that could possibly help us put some pieces together or find out who else may be involved. It didn't take long to reach the bar even though it was a Friday evening. Traffic was light in this area unlike in the city where it is gridlock at this time day.

I parked in a space around the side of the building and walked around the front. I could see Hale already waiting for me in a booth by the back window – away from the already growing crowd.

I entered the bar and flagged the bartender. I ordered whatever domestic they had on tap and then sat down opposite my friend.

Hale smiled and greeted me warmly, "Hey Bo. Good to see you again. This place is a little out of the way. I like it though."

I returned his smile, "Hale. Good to see you too. Yeah I come here whenever I am in the area." He was not aware of the "safe house" I had a few miles down the road. I had a room at Kenzi's apartment that she set up for me years ago whenever I was state side. Currently I found that it was easier to just use the house as my current residence. It was part of the reason Tamsin and I set it up in the first place. An isolated, safe place to stay when things went to hell that was stocked full of anything we might possibly need for almost any situation. Kenzi was working from there so much that she was staying in one of the four bedrooms that the house provided and I didn't feel right using her apartment without her being there.

"So I did some digging like you asked and I found some interesting stuff. I am not sure how much it will help or what it means but here you go." Hale said as he handed me four files.

I pulled them over to my side of the table but I didn't open them. The bartender came over and placed my mug on a coaster and walked off without a word. "Thank you again for doing this. So what did you find and what is this you have for me?" I asked as I pointed to the file folders in front of me.

"Well there are three contractors that are listed for an off books assignment. David Kagen, Daniel Morris and Katie McMann. Their files are there. I couldn't find anything in regards to what they are involved in specifically. They are all listed as reporting to Michael Hansen. I found that odd because he is the founder of the Rayburn-Northman Corporation and wouldn't normally be running contractors for any type of operation. I mean he could but it just isn't really standard operating procedure. His file is there as well but it only has basic information. Not really anything you couldn't find on your own."

I opened each files and browsed over some of the information provided. There was date of birth, date of hire, phone numbers, home addresses, and records of any military service among other things. I closed each file and asked, "Is it common for RNC contractors to set up a separate identity when on the job?"

Hale gave me a questioning look, "No. I think that would only possibly apply if the contractor was being utilized by one of the US Intelligence services and they required it. Why do you ask?"

"Well David Kagen was going by the name Joseph Kaegen. Not very original but I wasn't sure if that was normal practice but apparently it's not." I replied. I began to wonder why the false name and decided checking out David Kagen's alias might give us some insight. I would have to get Kenzi to dig into that name further.

Hale brought me out of my thoughts, "I also found that Mr. Morris is checking into Kagen's death. He is running an independent investigation on it outside of the DC Metro police. From what I gathered he hasn't really found anything. I gotta ask. Did you have anything to do with that?"

I sighed and replied, "Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Yes."

"I did." I confirmed as I picked up my drink that was now getting warm.

Hale nodded and said, "I know I said yesterday that I didn't want to know and I don't but that was something that was bothering me."

"I'm sorry Hale –"

He shook his head and interrupted me, "Hey hey. I trust you. At least now that I know this maybe I can feed you information on what Mr. Morris finds in his investigation and give you a heads up if need be."

I smiled at Hale's trusting and protective nature, "That would be wonderful but don't get yourself in trouble by digging in places you don't belong or places where these people don't want you. Okay?"

"I understand. I can look out for you and me at the same time. No problem." Hale said as he moved to get up.

I downed the rest of my now warm beer and said, "You're leaving?"

He nodded and stretched, "Yeah. I have to go. I would love to just sit and catch up with you but we will have to do that another time."

I stood up as well and grabbed the files Hale gave me, "I understand. I hope we can catch up soon while leaving all the business behind. Thanks again for this and stay out of trouble." I placed a twenty on the table to pay for my beer and tip and walked outside with Hale following behind me.

We said our goodbyes and parted ways. On my drive back to the house I called Lauren and found that she was still at the house and had finished looking through the rest of the files. She didn't find anything else unusual in the rest so it appeared James Kokemor was our most likely suspect.

I pulled in to the driveway about ten minutes later and gathered up the files Hale provided me and headed into the house. Tamsin was lounging in the chair furthest from the door looking bored and Lauren was sitting on the couch looking bored as well. Kenzi was muttering to herself and typing furiously on the keyboard.

I dropped the RNC files on the coffee table and sat down next to Lauren. I gave her a small smile which she returned. I loved her smile. I wanted all this to be over so I could get to know her properly….by courting her…not by wading through government corruption and violence.

"What is everyone up to?" I asked.

Tamsin gave me a bored look and answered, "Waiting on you. What did you find? Lauren already filled me in on James Kokemor. That he is most likely the one that moved the money earmarked for Intelligence to the offshore accounts and that there may be a recording between James and Director Long."

I motioned for Tamsin to pick up the files I placed on the coffee table and said, "Hale found three contractors that are listed for an off books assignment. He gave me their RNC personnel files. They are David Kagen, Daniel Morris and Katie McMann. They answer directly to the founder of RNC Michael Hansen. His file is there as well. Hale said it was very unusual for this Hansen guy to run any kind of assignment. He couldn't find anything at all about what these contractors are doing for Hansen. Daniel Morris is investigating Kagen's death but Hale did some checking and it looks like he is coming up empty just like DC Metro."

Tamsin continued to flip through each file so I continued, "Hale also said that RNC doesn't assign their contractors with aliases. My guess is that David Kagen became Joseph Kaegen at the behest of Hansen. Why I don't know. It occurred to me that we never did check into Joseph Kaegen's life. Once we found his real name and his employer, we only focused on that."

Tamsin glanced up at me, "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I know the address on Joseph Kaegen's driver's license is different than the address that David Kagen was sharing with his girlfriend. Maybe there is something at that other address that is of importance and we should check it out."

Lauren turned to me, "Surely RNC would have emptied that place out by now. Once they found out one of their contractors was dead under suspicious circumstances they wouldn't have left anything he had lying around. This other contractor must have already covered their bases."

I nodded and said, "I agree. That would be the smart move but it is possible that they haven't gotten to it yet. I mean I would rather check the place and come up empty than ignore it and miss a possible opportunity to learn more."

Tamsin dumped the files she was looking at back on the table and got up and walked over to Kenzi, "I agree Bo. Kenzi can you check into this Joseph Kaegen alias real quick?"

"Ha! There isn't anything out there that I can't get my hands on eventually. Nothing is safe. Well unless it is hard copy. I can't hack paper. Give me a sec."

Tamsin leaned against the desk much to Kenzi's annoyance, "I have been so busy at work that I haven't gotten a chance to even try and get an ear on Director Long's office or cell phone. That doesn't even take into account any phones he may be using off book. I will add Michael Hansen to my list as well but he is probably using in person communications or phones that are off record as well. I will check this number Kenzi gave me from Kagen's phone and see if I can track it or trace it but I doubt it will happen. If it is a burner then the phone was probably dumped once Kagen was discovered dead which does us no good. If it is like our phones with the military grade encryption then I won't be able to do anything with it."

Kenzi jumped up suddenly and did a little happy dance, "Ok I found a bit more information for you guys. Joseph Kaegen was paying for gas, water, electric and phone at the address on his fake driver's license. I would guess that means he or someone else was living there at least part time."

Tamsin walked into the kitchen and picked up her keys, "Thanks Kenzi. I am going to head out to Connecticut and check for anyone or anything out of place in the Lewis neighborhood. Then I will head over to this apartment and see if there is anything there that may be of use."

I stood up and approached Tamsin, "You sure you want to check the apartment? I can do it. Connecticut is a ten hour round trip drive. That will take up the rest of the evening and well into the night."

Tamsin smiled, "Thanks but I got it. I feel like I have been useless this week. Let me take this one."

I understood how she felt. It was hard to sit idle when there were so many mismatched pieces and none of them fit together to form a clear picture.

I nodded, "Sure. We can figure out the rest of our moves tomorrow. Just call when you're done and we can all meet up. We have to figure out how we want to move forward with James Kokemor, Daniel Morris and Katie McMann."

Tamsin agreed and then left leaving me, Lauren and Kenzi alone.

I looked back at Lauren who was still sitting on the couch, "You ready? I can take you home."

"Yes I am ready to get out of here. I am starving. I only had a light lunch."

Lauren headed for the door and I followed behind her. We both said our goodbyes to Kenzi and climbed into my truck. I headed back to Lauren's house. She had been a bit quiet since I got back from meeting with Hale and it concerned me. "Hey you seem quiet. Is there something wrong?"

She looked over at me and grabbed my right hand and held it between hers, "Nothing is wrong. I really am hungry and looking at all those files today was exhausting. You would think I would be used to endless paper work but it really did just mentally drain me going through everything Kenzi gave me today."

I started to babble. Lauren holding my hand like she was made me nervous and a bit excited, "Yeah well I can imagine. I mean you went through fifty three files in just one afternoon. That is a lot. I mean you are super smart and I know I couldn't have done that. We can order take out once we get back to your house if you like. Do you like take out? Is that ok?"

I stopped my words and glanced over at Lauren. It looked like she was trying not to laugh. "I love take out. I have about five different places on speed dial and countless menus. Chinese sounds great right now. Does that work?"

"I'm good with that." We sat in silence for a while. I finally calmed a bit and started to enjoy the feeling of Lauren's hand in mine. Her hands were soft and warm and it felt like they fit together perfectly.

Lauren spoke and pulled me from my thoughts, "May I ask you something?"

She sounded a bit tentative and I wondered what could have made her shy away a bit.

"Lauren you can ask me anything. I will always answer you." I replied as I held on to her hand just a little bit tighter. I wanted her to know I was being sincere. I never would have said those words to anyone else with the exception of Tamsin and Kenzi. For the past seven years and even further back in the military there were always things I that couldn't or wouldn't talk about but I didn't want to be that person anymore.

"What exactly happened that first day you followed me and had your encounter with David?"

I wondered when she was going to ask me about that. "As you know I was following him following you. He must have been better at his job than I gave him credit for because he realized I was there probably before we ever reached your house. You were already inside and I was driving past and he shot at me. I sped off because I didn't want anything to happen in front of your home that would draw anymore unwanted attention to you. He followed me and we ended up in a parking lot about five miles from your house. We exchanged fire and I shot him."

"Were you trying to kill him?"

"Yes. I couldn't let him report anything back. Not about me or you or anything. So yes I was and I did. Please know that isn't something I ever want to do." I replied. I hated talking about this with Lauren. I didn't want her to see or know that side of me but I needed her to. If we would ever be anything to each other then she needed to know every side of me. I could only hope that she didn't turn me away. I could only strive to be different going forward. Be a different person.

She sat quietly for a moment and then said, "I understand."

I glanced over at her, "Do you? Do you really?"

She nodded, "I do Bo."

I could only trust that she really did understand and hope that it didn't change how she felt about me.

I pulled into her driveway and I shut off my truck. Lauren led me into the house and pointed to one of the kitchen drawers. "All the take out menus are in there. The Chinese place is speed dial number two on the phone over there. Order me some sesame chicken and extra egg rolls and get whatever you want. I am going to change. I have been in this pants suit entirely too long today."

I watched Lauren as she walked through the living room and disappeared down the hallway. I pulled out the menu for the local Chinese takeout and found what I wanted. I called in the order. General Tsao's chicken and spring rolls for me and sesame chicken with extra egg rolls for Lauren. I grabbed a bottle of water and headed into the living room. The food would be here in about twenty minutes.

I sat down on the couch and turned when I heard Lauren enter the room. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to suppress my outward reaction. She had on a light blue tank top and black sleep pants. She looked absolutely stunning and it brought out something inside me that I thought was long buried or no longer existed.

She half smiled half smirked at me as she continued into the room and sat down across from me. I realized I was staring and I grabbed my water and took a sip to break the moment.

"Uh the food will be here in twenty minutes." I said trying to bring myself back to normal.

We struck up a light conversation about cars. I remembered that she was knowledgeable about American classics and I found it sexy that she knew so much about them. The time flew and the food arrived. She started to get up but I beat her to it and waved her off.

"I got it." I said and pulled my wallet out from the back pocket of my jeans. I liked carrying a wallet compared to a purse. A purse wasn't really my style and a wallet allowed me what I needed but kept my hands free. She sat back down as I answered the door. I paid the delivery guy and brought the food into the living room setting it on the table between us.

"I was going to get it Bo. You didn't have to do that." She said as she started to pull the food from the bag.

"I know I didn't have to but I wanted to. Now where are the plates?" I asked as I went into the kitchen.

"Well thank you for dinner. The plates are in the cabinet to the right of the sink."

I pulled the plates down and brought them into the living room. I figured we could use the plastic utensils that were thrown in the bag. I settled back on the couch and handed her a plate while I set mine down on the table. I was feeling a bit bold and said, "This isn't dinner Lauren. You'll know when I buy you dinner and I can promise it won't be takeout."

She dumped her food on to the plate and I could see her blushing. I didn't know why I said that. I guess it was my way of flirting. I was so alone and out of practice that I wasn't sure if I knew how to anymore but her response didn't seem negative.

"Well I look forward to the day that happens Bo." She replied and then took a huge bite from her overloaded plate. She turned the TV on and flipped it to CNN and set it at a low volume

We ate in silence and listened to the headline news. Once we were both finished Lauren gathered up the boxes and the plates and took them into the kitchen. She threw away the empty cartons and put the dishes in the sink after rinsing them off.

She came back into the living room and settled down onto the couch next to me. She handed me another water as mine was already empty and she had one of her own.

She turned and faced me and I mirrored her position. I began telling her tales of all the crazy things Kenzi and I did growing up while she shared with me what it was like growing up in a wealthy family and how some of her class mates treated her differently because of it. She talked about school and the different clubs she was in. The debate team and swim team. She was class president all four years of high school. I told her why I joined the military and that after four years of service I still didn't know what I wanted to do in life which was why the CIA seemed like a good idea at the time. I talked about Kenzi and why I pushed so hard for her to stay out of trouble and go to college. I wanted Kenzi to get the best out of life. We talked about silly things like our favorite color, favorite movie, books and songs.

I could see she was getting tired and I looked at my watch. It was almost midnight. We had talked for almost four hours. I stood up so I could leave and let her get to bed and rest.

"What time is it?" She asked.

"Midnight. I was having such a nice time with you. The hours flew by." I answered.

She got up as well and grabbed my hands, "Stay with me?"

I was stunned. I wasn't exactly sure what she meant by that. I didn't want to leave and I wasn't sure if she was trying to take me to bed or if she just didn't want to be alone. My body reacted and I could feel it. It had been a very long time and part of me wanted to rush everything and take her now. The other part of me kept me from it.

She clarified as my face must have spoken volumes, "I just want to sleep. Nothing more. Can you stay with me and just sleep? Do you think it would be ok?"

I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding, "Yeah I can stay. I don't believe anyone is monitoring you anymore. At least not right now. Let's sleep."

She led me by the hand down the hallway to her bedroom. She went into the bathroom to brush her teeth while I unlaced my boots and took them off.

She came back into the bedroom and pointed behind her, "There is an extra toothbrush if you like."

"That is great. Thank you. I will be right back." I shut the bathroom door and washed my face and brushed my teeth.

I came back into the room and Lauren was already in bed and under the covers. I walked around to the other side and pulled my concealed weapon from its resting spot at my back and set it on the night stand along with my wallet and phone. I then crawled in next to her.

She said, "Oh I wasn't thinking. I don't think I have any shorts or sleep pants that will fit our very well and you can't sleep comfortably in jeans."

Again I was thrown off. I wasn't sure what she wanted me to do so I asked her directly, "What do you want me to do Lauren?"

She answered quietly, almost sheepishly, "You could just sleep without them. If you wanted to. If that is ok with you."

I smiled. She was adorable when she was nervous. It was endearing. I crawled back out of bed and removed my jeans. I folded them and placed them on top of my boots. I got back into bed and laid on my back. Lauren moved over to me and laid her head on chest and put her arm around my waist. I pulled her closer to me, relishing in how it felt to hold her.

She leaned up and kissed me softly but she didn't let it go too far.

"Goodnight Bo." She said laying her head back down.

"Sweet dreams Lauren." I responded and closed my eyes.

Tamsin POV

I was happy to make the drive out to Connecticut. I liked driving. It allowed me time to think while at the same time cleared my head. Ever since I shared my past about Dyson I couldn't get him off my mind. On top of that work has been hectic. I had to prepare a written and oral assessment regarding a journalist that was being detained in Berlin. It had taken up most of my time which has not allowed me to focus on any type of information gathering regarding our own little government coup.

A part of me was glad I opened up about Dyson. I felt lighter. It was something I had never shared with anyone. I wasn't really sure why expect that I didn't want to burden anyone with my own personal hell. I would never understand how he could have treated me like that. He went from being kind and gentle to cold and harsh in a matter of seconds. I don't frighten easily but he scared me that night. He blamed me for losing his CJO when it was really just the fact that his personality type didn't fit what the NSA looked for in their analysts. His psychological testing showed he had traits they didn't feel would make him a good and effective analyst in the long term. It broke my heart that he blamed me for that.

I could see what was happening between Bo and Lauren. It was one of the reasons I didn't mind making this drive or checking out the apartment. I knew Bo wanted to spend time with Lauren but she would never outright tell me that. Her sense of duty would compel her to put this problem first despite her feelings. I knew her. It may not seem so but in the end she would choose to resolve this mess over her own personal wants or needs. I also wanted to get my hands dirty. My focus had been split and I wanted to dive in to this like the others and pull my weight. I pulled Bo and Kenzi into this and by extension Lauren and they were the ones bearing the brunt of it. I wanted to be able to put my efforts in as well.

I pulled into the Lewis family neighborhood around midnight. I called Kenzi and had her ready on the line. I drove down the street and checked for anyone that may be hanging around without good reason but the street was deserted. I read out all the license plates of the cars and SUVs along the street as well as their make and model. As fast as I could get the information out Kenzi was returning it back to me with an all clear. In total this whole check took about fifteen minutes but the results were reassuring. Most of the vehicles were the same as when Bo checked the other night and each one matched to someone who lived here. Nothing came back as stolen or rented or belonging to anyone that shouldn't really be in this area. I also didn't see any signs of surveillance on the home. There was no one sitting in their car or walking up and down the street so I felt it was clear to head back to DC. I would give Bo and Lauren the run down in the morning. I did feel we should continue to watch over this family. I didn't want to leave anything for chance but the results so far had been promising. The pictures that Lauren received of her family when she received the anonymous threatening letter was probably done as a scare tactic. RNC or whoever else was behind this probably didn't feel her family warranted round the clock observation.

I reached the area of town where our alias had rented his apartment at about five in the morning. It was on the outskirts of DC and a very old and run down area. I parked a block up the street and walked back down to the building. The apartment was on the third floor and I took the stairs. The elevator wasn't working and even if it was I wouldn't have taken it. It looked like it was hanging by a thread.

I tried the door but it was locked. There were no camera at the entrance of the building or along the stairwell or hallways and I was thankful for that. I pulled out my toolkit and picked the lock. Once inside I put my tools away and pulled my gloves on. The lights were off but there was natural light coming in through the window and it was enough to illuminate the living space. I didn't need a flashlight or the overhead lighting. The place was bare. There was an old TV on a stand and a dirty chair with a matching couch in the living room. The floors were hardwood and severely scratched. The bedroom was down the hall from the kitchen. I looked through it but didn't find anything but a bed and clothes in the closet. The dresser was bare except for a cracked mirror. I made my way back into the living room and headed over to the desk that was shoved against the wall. It was cluttered with takeout menus and scraps of paper that at first glance didn't appear relevant to what we were looking for. I opened the side drawer and finally found something of note. I pulled out a bound notebook and flipped through it. It had detailed logs of all of Lauren's movements. There were times and dates listed for everything she did from going to or leaving work to going to the grocery store. In the back of the notebook there were pictures of her talking with different people. Some were other Senators and others were probably interns or assistants. I put down the notebook and checked the rest of the drawer but there wasn't anything else but a phonebook. I collected the scraps of paper and tucked them in behind the pictures so we could look through them more thoroughly at the house. I was getting ready to leave when I heard someone outside the door. I put the notebook down, pulled my gun and leaned my back against the wall by the front door so I was positioned where the door would swing towards me.

I waited and the door opened and a man stepped inside. I recognized him immediately. It as the RNC contractor Daniel Morris. I remembered him from the photo in his personnel file that Hale gave to Bo. I moved forward and grabbed him by the neck with my right hand and pushed him around until he slammed into the wall next to the door opposite from where I was just standing with his body facing forward so he couldn't see me. I kicked the door closed with my right leg and pushed against his body to keep him in place. I dug my weapon into his ribs with my left hand. He was breathing hard and I could feel him shaking.

I couldn't kill him. It would set off too many red flags but if he managed to flip our roles and catch me or looked at me well enough to make a sketch it would be equally as bad. I also couldn't have him reporting back to Hansen that there was some unknown element snooping around their dead contractor's apartment that was rented under an alias.

I would just have to scare him enough that he would rather keep his mouth shut than find out if I was a legitimate threat.

"Daniel Morris. I was wondering if you would show up."


	8. Chapter 8

A/N - Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed favorited and followed this story. It means a lot and I will do my best to make this story into something you will want to read and enjoy. This is all fiction and from my imagination so some things may not fit real world scenarios so please forgive any discrepancies. Let me know if things are moving to slow or to fast with the story line and with the brewing romance. I can slow things down or pick up the pace – let me know what you all think.

Tamsin POV

"Who are you?" The man asked as he tried to move his body away from the wall. I pressed harder against him and ignored his question, "Your name is Daniel Michael Morris. Your son is Matthew Morris age seven and wife Cheryl Anne Morris age thirty three. Your son attends Shepherd Elementary School and your wife is employed with John Hancock Investments. You live at 2000 Edward Street apartment B. I know everything about you. I know everything about your family. Do you understand what I am telling you?"

He stopped struggling for a moment and said, "I understand."

I went on, "I don't know what Michael Hanson would do if he found out you lied to him but I can guarantee that you will not like what I do if you inform him that I was here. When you report back you will tell him you found nothing in this apartment. You searched but if there was anything of value it was not at this location. Again do you understand me?"

"Yes I do. It was a dead end just please don't do anything to my family." He begged me and I felt a pang of guilt wash over me. I would never actually hurt his family but I really needed him to believe that I would and it appeared he did. I brought my left hand up and smashed my weapon against the back of his head causing his body to go limp. I slowly let off the pressure I had against him and he slid to the floor. I could see he was bleeding where I hit him.

I quickly searched his pockets and dug out his phone. I flipped it open and went back to the desk. I wrote down the number assigned to the phone and all the incoming and outgoing numbers on a clean sheet of paper. I folded the paper and shoved it into my pocket. I grabbed the notebook and went back over to the unconscious man on the floor. I put his phone back where I found it and left the apartment.

I took the stairs two at a time and when I reached the first floor I exited the building that lead to the street. I half ran half walked back to my car. The phone Mr. Morris was using was a burner and I wanted to get to the NSA listening post as soon as possible and put the numbers I gathered under electronic surveillance. I needed to ensure he took my threat seriously as well as determine who else he may be talking to and see what information I could gleam from him or the people he reported to or spoke with. I hoped I could get something from this before he trashed his phone.

As I headed back to my car I looked around to see if I could figure out which vehicle was Daniels. I didn't see anything that led me to believe any of the vehicles parked on the street were his. I cursed myself for not paying better attention to what was around me outside before I entered the building earlier this morning. I could memorize a personnel file in five minutes but I made no effort to keep track of my surroundings when I was about to go information hunting.

I arrived at the office twenty five minutes later. I was grateful it was Saturday and my section of the building was virtually empty. SIGINT was a huge department and the group that worked a schedule that had those working weekends did not sit in my area.

I placed my weapon under the driver's side seat and then proceed to lock the notebook I found in the trunk of my car. I entered my building and even though the area was essentially deserted I felt like all eyes were on me. I knew it was the adrenaline wearing off and the weariness creeping in but it was a feeling I couldn't shake. I sat down at my desk and booted up my workstation. I logged in and brought up the SIGINT/Defense Cryptologic platform and entered the phone number for Daniel's burner phone along with all the numbers that were listed in his call history. I pulled on my headphones and waited.

I was fighting off sleep when dialing and then ringing screeched through my headphones. I checked my system and found that Daniel was reaching out to a number that was in his call history. I didn't know who the number belonged to. After four rings the other end of the line answered and I heard a male voice.

" _What have you got for me Mr. Morris?"_

" _Uh….I stopped by David's second apartment and took a good look around but I didn't find anything of importance. Just some clothes and old food in the kitchen."_

" _Mr. Kagen was using an alias for the sole purpose of holding that second residence and storing any pertinent information he gathered regarding Senator Lewis. She was snooping a little too closely to one portion of our operation and the fact that Mr. Kagen is now dead and whatever he was keeping is missing, I believe we have attracted some unwanted attention."_

" _Do you think the Senator killed David and took whatever information he had?"_

" _No I don't think she was involved but again I do believe someone is somehow obtaining information and searching out more. I will look into it. In the meantime just try and find what you can about Kagen's murder. I will speak with Ms. McMann about turning up her timetable."_

" _Are you going to continue to have Senator Lewis followed? Someone to take David's place?"_

" _No I don't believe that is necessary at this time. The Senate is about to let out for the fall session and she seems to have stopped nosing around. I don't think we need to waste any more resources there."_

" _Yes sir."_

The call disconnected and I wrote down the archive number so I could copy it and erase the recording from the NSA back up system. I assumed the number that Mr. Morris called belonged to Michael Hansen but I could not be sure. The only thing I did know for certain was that Daniel heeded my warning – at least for the time being. It worried me that Mr. Hansen seemed so adamant that someone was looking into RNC and other portions of the operation. He didn't seem to believe that the death of his contractor was random and the fact that Hale was digging around RNC files and personnel yesterday did not bode well. The only good news I found from the call was that RNC or anyone else for that matter were no longer interested in Lauren at this time.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard a new call being initiated by the unknown number that Mr. Morris had just dialed. The line rang and was answered almost immediately and I heard a female voice.

" _Hello?"_

" _Ms. McMann. Are you able to speak freely?"_

" _Hold on."_

" _Yes I can talk now."_

" _I need you to turn up the time table and get the information we need."_

" _Mr. Hansen I can try but you know that if I push too hard I could get shut out or blow my cover completely."_

" _I am aware of the added risk of pushing this up but we need the information sooner rather than later. Once we have what we need from the Secret Service I can make arrangements with other parties to get the next step in motion."_

" _I understand. I will do what I can and report back."_

The call ended and again I wrote down the archive number so I could pull the call, copy it and erase it from the archives. I also noted which number belonged to Michael Hansen and Katie McMann. I decided to check on the number Kenzi had given me from Kagen's phone. Once I loaded it into the system I wasn't able to ping it or trace it. It seemed Kagen was calling a burner phone that has since been discarded. It appeared we were at a dead regarding that phone number but my gut told me that the number Kagen was calling belonged to Michael Hansen and he got rid of the phone once he found out Kagen was dead.

I shut down my workstation and headed down to the archives in the basement. I nodded a greeting to the security guard and flashed him my badge. He waved me through and I continued down the hall. I swiped my badge and entered the archive room and it was empty with the exception of server banks, routers, switches and cabling. I quickly pulled out the archive numbers I had written down for the two calls I had just listened to. I went up and down the rows and found the server bank I needed to access. I inserted the thumb drive I had in my pocket and copied both calls and once that was completed I erased the evidence from the NSA server. I had no way of covering the fact that my badge placed me in this room at this time or that I had to enter my access code to bring up the calls. I had no way of erasing my tracks. I would talk to Kenzi and see if she could possibly dig in and delete my footprints in the system. It wouldn't take long for the higher ups to flag my activity and question me about it.

I left the building and headed over to the safe house. I called Bo and Kenzi and asked them to meet me there.

Lauren POV

I woke when the first morning light started to peek its way into my bedroom. I looked down and saw Bo curled up against me. I thought back to last night and smiled. I was happy we were able to spend some time together that didn't involve digging through files or deciphering recordings. It wasn't much but it was a start. We got to know each other just a little bit better. I felt like Bo opened up to me in a way she had not done with anyone else in a long time and I did the same. I shared all sorts of things about myself that I usually just kept locked away because I assumed no one would really care. I found it refreshing to share the little tidbits about my life and the way Bo looked at me and listened to me – she made me feel like the most important person in the world. She had such an intensity about her. We found that we were quite different in some ways but at the same time there were things we shared in common. I thought it was exciting to find someone that could introduce me to new things. I loved fine wines and cocktails while Bo enjoyed beer and expensive scotch. I relaxed by reading books or walking along the beach while Bo took to the road on a motorcycle to feel free. I found interest in documentaries but Bo had not seen a movie in years. My musical tastes were for classical and Bo loved rock and alternative type music from the 80's and 90's. We shared a passion for American classic cars, travel, languages and cooking. I looked forward to learning more about the woman that was sleeping next to me.

I was still a little shocked with myself for asking her to stay with me last night but I didn't regret it. I had not planned for anything sexual to happen and I still didn't but I couldn't stand the thought of her leaving. I didn't want to be alone and I craved her company.

I was brought out of my thoughts by Bo's cell phone ringing on the nightstand. She didn't move and I could tell she was still sleeping heavily. I reached over her and answered the phone. It was Tamsin asking that Bo and I head to the house as soon as we could. I put the phone down and tried to wake Bo again.

She stirred a bit and then opened her eyes with a smile, "Good morning. How did you sleep?" Her voice was still heavy with sleep.

"Morning. I haven't slept that well in a long time. Thank you for staying last night." I replied as she moved away a bit so she could look at me with ease.

"You don't have to thank me Lauren. I was happy to. It was nice to just be with someone. I was glad it was you." She said and looked down and away from me.

I put my index finger under her chin and lifted her head so she was looking me in the eyes, "Why so shy all of a sudden?"

She laughed a little and said, "Not shy really….more scared than anything."

I looked at her a moment before responding. I could see it in her eyes and I wanted to know what had her so troubled, "What are you scared off?"

She sighed and shook her head, "Lauren I am just worried that once you get to know me, once you find out some of the things I've done, you will turn away from me. You won't like what you see."

"I like what I have seen so far. This is still so very new. Please understand Bo that I am not completely oblivious to what our Intelligence assets do on a regular basis. I may not know the details but being a part of the Senate committees that overlook such things I have a good idea. I can promise you that if something does bother me, I will tell you and we can talk about it. I won't just turn my back on you."

I leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead, "Deal?" I said.

Bo smiled and her whole face lit up, "It's a deal Lauren and thank you." I could see her whole body relax and the concerned look in her eyes was replaced with relief and something else I couldn't quite place.

I dreaded my next statement, "Tamsin called your phone. I tried to wake you but I couldn't get you up. I answered it. She wants us at the house."

Bo closed her eyes and ran her hands down her face, "Did she say when?"

"As soon as possible." I answered as I sat up and Bo followed me.

"Duty calls." She said as she pulled the covers back and got up from the bed. I sat for a moment and just stared. Seeing her in just a shirt while the light poured in from the morning sun took my breath away. She was so very stunning and it aroused me. It was difficult for me not to just grab her and pull her down to the bed but I knew now was not the time. We had places we needed to be and I didn't want to rush things – in more ways than one.

I got up and grabbed some cloths from the closet and went to take a quick shower. "I am going to shower. I won't be long. Help yourself to anything you want if you are hungry."

Ten minutes later and I was showered and dressed. I walked out into the living room and Bo was waiting for me on the couch. When she saw me she stood up. "Are you ready? If you're hungry we can eat at the house if you like. I figured it was best if we got there sooner rather than later. Is that ok with you or do you want me to fix you something now?"

I walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek, "Let's go. We can eat there."

Bo POV

I climbed into my truck and started it while Lauren made sure her house was locked and secure. She got in and we started the journey back to the safe house. I had wanted to get up this morning and make Lauren breakfast but it didn't work out that way. I would make sure the opportunity didn't slip by if I ever got the chance to stay with Lauren again. It had been six years since I spent the night with anyone and until last night I didn't realize how much I missed the feeling of having someone close to me. Feeling their warmth and holding them in my arms. Lauren gave that to me last night. It was something I didn't want to bury away again. I wanted to enjoy more nights with her. Talking and laughing. Eating dinner together or watching a movie – one of those documentaries she loved so much. I was relieved that she wasn't afraid of me or my past though she didn't really know much from my years in the CIA. Regardless the things she said to me this morning calmed me and gave me hope that I wasn't too far gone.

The entire ride back to the house we sat in silence. It wasn't uncomfortable or negative. We both seemed happy to just be in each other's presence. I pulled in to the driveway and hopped out. I walked around the front of my truck and opened Lauren's door for her. She smile and whispered a thank you and we headed into the house.

When we walked in the smell of bacon hit us full force from the kitchen. My stomach grumbled and I finally realized how hungry I was.

I called out, "Is there enough for everyone?"

Tamsin yelled back, "Yes but hurry before Kenzi eats it all."

I turned to Lauren and told her to go ahead and that I was going to get cleaned up and changed into some clean clothes. I watched as Lauren walked into the kitchen and Tamsin handed her a plate filled with bacon and her infamous Spanish omelet. I wasn't sure if there were any foods that Lauren didn't like but she seemed content with what Tamsin gave her.

I went into my bedroom and pulled out a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt along with a pair of panties and a comfortable bra. I took everything into the bathroom, brushed my teeth and jumped into the shower. I wanted to lounge and let the heat from the water pull the tension from my shoulders but I was hungry and I knew that Tamsin had called us here for a reason.

I dressed and walked back into the living room. Kenzi was sitting on the couch with Tamsin and Lauren was occupying the chair at Kenzi's computer desk. I went into the kitchen and grabbed a plate that was already fixed for me and brought it back to the couch. I kicked Kenzi to move and she got up along with Tamsin. I sat down and began eating while Lauren moved from the desk to sit with me. Kenzi headed back to her usual spot at her computer and Tamsin pulled a chair over to sit next to Kenzi.

In between bites I asked, "What do you have Tamsin?"

Tamsin looked at me and then at Lauren, "I checked out your parent's neighborhood and from what I could see and from what I ran past Kenzi there isn't anything to worry about. No one is watching them."

Lauren visibly relaxed and sank back into the couch a little further and exhaled audibly, "That is some of the best news I could get right now. Thank you for checking Tamsin."

"Hey it isn't a problem. You are one of us now. It's the least I can do. After I got back into DC I went by the apartment that was being rented by Joseph Kaegen and I found this," Tamsin stood up and placed a notebook down on the coffee table, "it is full of pictures of you Lauren and detailed notes on all your movements for about a three week period."

I put my plate down and reached for the notebook. I opened it to the first page and shifted it over for Lauren to see.

She looked at the first line item and said, "The first date listed in this notebook is the same date I went to Director Long's office and pointed out the discrepancies I found in the budget. Bringing that to his attention must have triggered the threat I received and warranted the surveillance they put on me."

I let Lauren take the notebook from me while I pondered aloud, "What I am wondering is how did this all come about. I mean people in government don't just one day decide to assassinate the leader of the free world and negotiate with countries for oil and nuclear programs. That isn't something these people would plan if they didn't know each other prior. Otherwise how would you know who to trust to go through with it? Kenzi can you look for any personal connections between Michael Hansen, Robert Long, Vice President Hill and his Chief of Staff Mark LaGrone?"

Tamsin continued, "That is a good idea Bo. I didn't think about that. This would have been something that has been in the works for a while and carried out among friends. Anyway while I was at the apartment Daniel Morris with RNC showed up."

I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees, "What the hell happened Tamsin?"

"I heard him coming in and I managed to get the jump on him. I didn't want to kill him. It would have raised too many red flags and drawn too much attention. Besides I don't think I could have taken his life. I mean I am analyst. I sit at a desk all day listening for threats and monitoring people of interest. I have never been in that position before; where I had to make that choice but thanks to those files you brought over I managed to pass on a credible enough threat to keep him quiet. At least for now. I left him unconscious on the floor. I wrote down his cell phone number and all the numbers from his call history and I headed over to my office to see if I could get lucky and catch any calls. I managed to record two. The first call was between Daniel and Michael Hansen even though Hansen's name wasn't mentioned and the second call was between Hansen and Katie McMann. I also checked on the numbers from Kagen's phone but I really think that is a dead end. I couldn't trace or track anything. I know for sure that they are using burner phones to communicate though. They probably switched out phones after they became aware of Kagen's death. At least for the time being we now have the phone number Hansen, Morris and McMann are using to interact with. Kenzi can you play the recordings for them? "

We all sat quietly and listened intently to the recordings of the calls that Tamsin managed to capture. Once both recordings were finished I spoke, "Tamsin, what did you say to this Daniel guy that made him blatantly lie to his boss?"

Tamsin smirked and answered, "I threatened the lives of his wife and son. Not that we would harm them but he doesn't know that. As you heard it seems to have worked."

I reached out and grabbed Lauren's hand and held it in mine, "You must have been damn convincing. Some good news is that we now have confirmation that RNC isn't interested in Lauren for the time being but it bothers me that Hansen said he knew someone is somehow obtaining information and I am worried about what this Katie McMann is up to. We need to get eyes and ears on her as soon as possible. From what I understood she is the key to moving their plans forward so I would like to know exactly what Hansen has tasked her with."

Lauren spoke directing her question to Tamsin, "I am guessing that listening in on those calls today and recording them isn't standard practice."

"Correct. I was breaking the law. Every phone number I enter and listen to is logged under my credentials. Analysts are tracked to ensure we are only monitoring calls that the NSA is authorized to put under electronic surveillance. I erased those two calls from the archives so they won't be able to trace what numbers I was listening to or what was said but when I deleted the recordings it was logged that I did so. There is also an RFID chip in my badge that logs every place I have been in the building by date and time."

Kenzi stopped typing and turned to us and said, "I have a tag on Tam-Tam inside the NSA network so if they flag her down for any reason the system will ping me and I can try to warn her. I am still trying to figure out how to erase her footprints on their servers and change the log that tracks her badge. I hope to keep her out of trouble."

I was concerned about Tamsin. She was taking a huge risk every time she walked into that building and worked on our little side project. "I am worried about you Tamsin. I don't want to see bad things happen to you because of the risk you are taking." I said.

Tamsin shook her head and responded, "Well stop worrying. It is my risk to take and I want to do this ok? I'm the one that brought this to you remember? Lauren what do you make of those pictures? Does anything stick out to you?"

I looked over and saw that Lauren had been sifting through the surveillance pictures that had been tucked into the back of the notebook. "All these photos are of me talking with other Senators, interns, assistants. From the written logs and the photos it looks like I was being followed everywhere but there isn't really anything here that is of significance. Work was my life so everything here is just me during an average work day or whenever I went anywhere on my personal time which wasn't much. I mean there are pictures of me getting my oil changed, buying wine at Schneider's of Capitol Hill, and purchasing groceries for the week. "

Tamsin pointed to the notebook, "There were loose pieces of paper on the desk where I found that. At first glance I didn't see anything of importance but I shoved all the papers into the front of the notebook. I thought maybe you could look through them and see if anything rings a bell or maybe add it to Kenzi's growing list of duties and have her sift through it."

Lauren shoved all the picture back into the notebook and placed it on the table, "I will go through them and have Kenzi help me if I need it. I hate that someone was watching me and I didn't even realize it. He watched me for weeks and I never knew. I feel violated. I can't believe I was so oblivious to my surroundings."

I took Lauren's hand again and kissed the back of it and tried to reassure her, "These guys are trained to do this exact thing and he was very good at his job. Don't blame yourself for not noticing him. I know he invaded your life and I can't imagine how that feels. Let's figure this out and make sure they don't get away with it."

It broke my heart that Lauren was struggling with this. I had never been on the receiving end of a surveillance run that I was aware of but I had done exactly what Kagen did on many occasions over the years. I never thought of how I was violating privacy until I heard Lauren speak of it now and the guilt ran through me and burned inside. I only hoped I could lessen the burden she felt and then do what I had to do in order to stop these people.

Lauren nodded and gave me a small smile though I felt she was doing it for my benefit. One thing I had already learned about Lauren was that she could put on a mask that made reading her emotions impossible. I didn't want her to close herself off but I wasn't going to push her – at least no right away.

"Tamsin we have all of Katie McMann's information here. Do you want me to start checking her out or do you want to take care of it?" I asked.

"Can you do it? I haven't slept in over twenty four hours and I don't think I could stand to follow her around and then try to get ears in her home while she is out." Tamsin said as she stood up and stretched.

"I can take care of it. I just need to grab some stuff so I can tap her landline and figure out if there are any alarms I need to bypass before breaking in and planting any listening devices and uploading the mirroring software on any computers or laptops she has. Kenzi can you check and see if she is registered with any alarm companies?"

I watched as Kenzi shifted her focus to another screen and went through alarm company customer listings faster than I could follow, "Yeah BoBo. She has a system with ADT. It has the digital keypad that covers eight zones with three glass break sensors. It doesn't look like she has any sensors for the doors or windows so you should be able to open them without setting off the alarm. Just don't break any glass."

Tamsin was pacing in an attempt to stay awake. She stopped suddenly and turned to me, "Bo I had a thought earlier while I was at the office. What if Hansen is aware that Hale was digging around yesterday? If he is then Hale could be in danger."

I didn't bother with a response. I picked my phone up off the side table and dialed Hale's number. It rang and then went to voice mail. I tried again but got the same results. It was nine in the morning and he could be sleeping but I had a gut feeling that something was wrong. I didn't even think about Hale being unknowingly thrown into the middle of this until Tamsin mentioned it. Now it seemed only logical that Hansen would believe Hale was investigating since he had accessed all those files. Hale said he was careful but he could have tripped any number of safe guards Hansen had in place in case anyone got too nosy.

I got up from the couch and replied, "You're right. I just tried calling him and there was no answer. I know I could be over reacting but I have a feeling he might be in trouble. Hansen wouldn't hesitate to go after Hale if he thought he was snooping around. Go get some rest Tamsin. I am going to go check on Hale."

I headed for the door when Lauren chased after me and grabbed my arm, "I am coming with you."

There was no way I was going to bring her into a potentially dangerous situation. "No Lauren. I won't risk you getting hurt. Besides you are a public figure. If there is trouble over at Hale's then I don't want to drag you into the middle of it."

She pulled me closer and her gaze never wavered, "I am going with you."

I didn't want to argue or waste time if Hale needed it. I opened the door and motioned for her to follow me. We got in the truck and I took off to Hale's apartment ignoring stop signs, red lights and speed limits when possible. I handed Lauren my phone and asked her to continue trying to reach him but she had no luck.

We reached Hale's apartment complex in record time. I asked Lauren to stay in the truck and wait for me. I got out and headed towards his apartment. As I got closer I could see that his front door was wide open. I felt my stomach drop and a bad feeling washed over me. I placed my hand on the grip of my gun but I didn't pull it from its resting place. When I felt the cold steel against my hand the dreaded feeling which had been coursing through me finally dissipated, replaced by a comforting calmness. I wondered fleetingly if I would always find peace with a weapon. I thought about Lauren and hoped it wouldn't always be this way. I knew I wanted a different way of life.

I slowly climbed the stairs and as I reached the top landing I could see inside. The apartment was torn apart. Furniture was tossed and broken. Papers were scattered everywhere. Hale was lying on the floor and a man was kneeling over him with his back to the door. That was a bad move on his part. I took a slow soft approach forward creating a path to the two men. As I got closer I could see that there was glass all over the floor. I stepped forward preparing myself as pieces of glass broke further beneath my boot; breaking my silence. The man turned swiftly swinging his right arm around and aimed at me. I grabbed his right wrist with my left hand and pushed his arm wide. He fired and the round grazed my side and broke the skin while tearing my shirt and ripping a hole in my favorite leather jacket. I hit him twice in the throat with my right hand and he staggered back from his kneeling position. I pushed forward and knocked him on his back as he continued to struggle for breath. I stepped on his left wrist with my left foot causing him to cry out in pain. He released his hold the gun under my weight and I kicked it away from his reach. I glanced over at Hale and I saw that he was bleeding from a gunshot wound to his stomach. He had already lost a lot of blood. I knelt down and took off my jacket and pressed it hard against his wound.

"Keep putting pressure on it." I ordered and Hale nodded grabbing at my jacket.

I looked over at the man on the floor. He was starting to catch his breath. I put my hand on his chest and pulled my weapon. I leaned forward and pressed it under his ear against his skull.

"Did this man do this to you Hale?" I asked never taking my eyes off my potential enemy.

Hale gasped and croaked out, "Yes."

"Do you know him?"

When Hale didn't answer I looked over at him and be shook his head no and that was all the information I needed.

I redirected my attention to the man and asked him, "Who do you work for?"

"Fuck you." He replied in a raspy voice most likely due to how I hit him.

I tried again, "Who do you work for? Why did you do this? What are your orders?"

He stared at me. I couldn't waste my time trying to get him to talk and save Hale at the same time. The agent in me wanted to continue to interrogate this man; the human in me wanted to save my friend. I was split. We needed answers but Hale was precious to me and the thought of leaving him to die in pursuit for information grated against me. Did the end justify the means? Where was that line and how would I know if I crossed it?

I put my gun away and picked up a piece of glass from the floor. He watched me but didn't struggle and I looked him in the eyes as I slit his throat. His hands shot up as blood poured from him. I couldn't allow him to report my existence to whomever he answered to and I knew he would if allowed him to live. I dropped the glass and searched his pockets as he gasped for breath and continued to bleed out. He had nothing on him. No phone or wallet.

I couldn't waste any more time. I turned to Hale and asked, "Do you think you can walk?"

He nodded and I helped him sit up. I put his arm around my shoulder and I stood up bringing him with me.

"Keep that pressed against you." I said as we began to walk to the front door. I glanced back and saw that the man was no longer breathing.

We made it outside and down the stairs. We rounded the corner that led to the parking lot and Lauren saw us from the truck. She got out and started towards us. "Drive. I need you to drive." I yelled out to her.

She nodded and got into the driver's seat. When Hale and I made it back to the truck I opened the back door and helped him inside. Once he was situated I climbed in next to him and helped keep pressure on the wound.

"Lauren get us back to the safe house now!" I said.

She started the truck and exited the complex. She drove as fast as she could while trying not to jar the truck and cause Hale any further discomfort.

"Lauren do you have my phone?" I asked.

"Here." She said and she handed it to me from the front seat.

I used my free hand to dial Tamsin's number. She answered sounding very sleepy and very pissed off. I didn't care that I woke her up. "Tamsin, Hale has been shot. It is an abdominal would. He has already lost a lot of blood but he is still semi-conscious. We are in route to you now. Can you call Vince and get him over?"

She told me she would and then hung up and I slid my phone into my back pocket.

Lauren spoke to me over her shoulder, "Who is Vince?"

"He is a retired NSA police officer that Tamsin knows. He is actually the one that helped us procure the safe house. He has medical training and should be able to help. We can't take him to a hospital."

Lauren pulled into the driveway and got out of truck. She came around to the back and opened the door while helping Hale and me to exit the vehicle. She got on his right side and I on his left and we walked him to the front door. I opened it with my left hand and found Tamsin and Kenzi waiting for us. They rushed forward and guided us into the kitchen. They had cleaned off the table and we laid Hale down on his back.

I moved my jacket and lifted Hale's shirt. The bleeding seemed to have stopped.

I looked at Tamsin, "How long until Vince gets here?"

"Another ten minutes. What happened?"

I looked at my friends one at a time and recounted the ordeal; leaving out the part where I killed Hale's assailant. I was surprised when they didn't ask me what happened to him. I knew once things settled down they would.

There was a knock on the door and Tamsin answered it letting Vince in and leading him into the kitchen. I wanted to stay out of the way and let Vince work so I walked into my bedroom and Lauren followed me. She shut the door and placed her hand on my back and guided me into the bathroom.

In a soft voice she said, "Your hurt."

I had forgotten that I was grazed when the man fired at me. I moved to the sink and spent quite a bit of time washing the blood off my hands and arms while Lauren gathered a first aid kit from the closet. Once I was done she washed her arms and hands as well.

I removed my shirt as Lauren sat down on the edge of the bathtub.

"Let me see." She said motioning to my side.

I moved over to her and she examined my wound. She began to clean the area with a wet cloth and then disinfected and bandaged it. It stung and burned but it was tolerable.

"What happened there?" She asked as she started putting everything back into the kit.

"The man in Hale's apartment fired at me and it grazed me. How bad is it?" I asked while I sat down next to her.

She avoided looking at me, "It isn't bad at all. The cut isn't too deep. It just tore the skin. We need to keep it clean and covered for now."

"Thank you for coming with me. I couldn't have gotten Hale back here as fast as we did without you."

She didn't say anything and I knew something was wrong but I had no idea what it was. "Will you tell me what is wrong Lauren? Are you angry with me?"

She let out a little laugh and shook her head, "No Bo I'm not mad at you. I am just shaken up a bit. Look at what happened to Hale for taking those files and asking around about those contractors. They tried to kill him and it made me realize that the deeper we go the worse things are going to get."

I got up and knelt down in front of her. I gently cupped her face and encouraged her to look at me. "It will probably get worse before it gets better but we are all in this together. You're not alone anymore. You know that right?"

Lauren grabbed my hands and pulled them down into her lap, "I know Bo. When I saw that you were hurt everything just hit me."

I smiled, "I am fine though." I was trying to make light of the situation but I knew Lauren was upset and it would take time for her to work through things. I noticed over the past few days that she didn't often freely share her thoughts. She kept things to herself and processed situations internally. I could almost see the raging thoughts in her eyes as she debated and rationalized things that were happening around her or to her.

She broke me out of my thoughts with a question, "What happened to the man that was in Hale's apartment?"

It didn't surprise me that Lauren was the first one to ask me this question. When I was recounting the events earlier I could tell by the look on her face that she knew right away that I was editing things out of my story.

I took a deep breath and answered her truthfully, "He wouldn't answer my questions and Hale was hurt badly. I chose to get Hale out of there instead of trying to get information out of his assailant. I killed him so he couldn't report back to whoever sent him there in the first place."

She stood up and brought me with her, "I thought so. I just wanted to be sure."

I looked down to avoid her eyes and asked, "Do you think differently about me now?"

She answered me immediately, "Hey hey look at me," I lifted my head and met her gaze, "no I don't think differently about you Bo. I think you were in a difficult situation and you handled it as you saw fit in the time you had. I don't envy you for having to make that choice."

She pulled me into her arms and I relished her embrace. I became acutely aware that I did not have a shirt on and I wondered if Lauren realized it too. She leaned back just enough to look at me and then bent down as she kissed me slowly and softly. I melted in to it. Got lost in it. I nipped her bottom lip and she opened her mouth for me. I deepened the kiss and my heart began to race. She grabbed my hips and pulled me hard against her. There was no space between us. She ran her hands up my back and feeling them caress my skin made me moan. I pulled back and leaned my forehead against hers. My eyes were closed as I blocked everything out but us. I could still taste and feel her lips on mine. I never wanted to leave this moment but I could feel the real world nagging at the edge of my mind.

Lauren let me go as if she sensed the moment was over. We walked back into the bedroom and I grabbed a fresh shirt and pulled in on.

I turned to her and said, "Let's go see how Hale is doing. Then I have to begin looking into Katie McMann. That got pushed to the side when we went after Hale. We need to know what she has to do with the Secret Service and how that will help these people move forward with their plans."


	9. Chapter 9

Lauren POV

Bo and I reentered the living room and she joined Vince and Tamsin in the kitchen. I decided to hang back and take it all in. I could overhear them talking about Hale's condition. Vince was able to get the bullet out and it didn't fracture or hit any major arteries or organs. He lost a lot of blood but with rest he should pull through barring any unforeseen complications. He was unconscious and someone had placed a pillow under his head and covered him with a blanket. We were not allowed to move him so the kitchen table would be his resting place for the time being. I could see that Tamsin and Bo were anxious to speak with Hale but I knew that would only happen in time.

I was glad that I stood my ground earlier and accompanied Bo when she left for Hale's. Bo was correct when she said that she alone would not have been able to get Hale back here in time to save his life. The fact that I was able to help in such a manner had me feeling that I was pulling my own; more than just sifting through and following paper trails. When I saw Hale struggling to walk with blood on his hands and soaking through his clothes my stomach dropped. It again drove home that what we were doing was dangerous and the people involved were ruthless. If we were caught they would have no qualms about taking our lives in order to protect themselves and their plans.

When I realized that Bo had been injured it scared me more than I wanted to admit. It was minor but she had been hurt and it made my stomach twist. I was amazed by how much of an affect she had on me in such a short time. I had not been with any one in years. My work always took precedence and being who I am, any type of fling or one night stand could end up being the gossip on Capitol Hill and I wasn't willing to risk such a thing. I found that I no longer felt this way. My work was still important to me but it finally registered that I wanted more. I think I always did but I pushed it down with the thought that there wasn't any time and I was scared a relationship would become a distraction from my goals. Bo was stunningly beautiful and I was drawn to her. She was fiercely protective of the people she cared about. I recognized immediately that she had trouble reconciling her past actions with the person she wanted to be. I could see that struggle in how she spoke to me. The fear she expressed when she shared details with me about her life and then worried I would judge her for it. Last night I felt she showed a side of herself to me that very few people ever got to see. I didn't think there was any one thing about Bo that had me wanting more from her. She seemingly grabbed my attention against my will and now held it captive.

I was broken out of my thoughts when Bo approached me, "Hale should be fine. Vince said it will be slow healing but if things keep looking the way they do he should be fine. He is leaving now but will check in on Hale later tonight and then stop by tomorrow as well to see how he is doing. Lauren I can't thank you enough for being there with me."

I smiled and placed my hands on her upper arms, "You don't have to thank me. I am happy I could help you and Hale. I was actually able to do more than just follow paper trails." I laughed derisively.

Bo looked stunned by my statement. She reached out and pulled me closer. The look in her eyes was so intense it left me feeling vulnerable and exposed, "Lauren don't discount what you have done. Tamsin found the recording but you uncovered the money trail. I was just hesitant because I didn't want you to get hurt. I don't want to see anything bad happen to you."

I could see she was being sincere but I needed her to appreciate that my choices were my own, "I get that. Please understand though that I make my own decisions and will live with the consequences. Whatever they are."

She closed her eyes a moment and sighed before looking at me again, "I know and you're right. I just don't want anything to happen that will hurt you or your career. It's how I feel. I can't help it but I will respect your decisions going forward. I promise you that."

I pushed some of her hair behind her ear that had fallen in her face. I understood her reasoning. I didn't want to make this into something bigger than it was so I changed the subject. "What are you going to do now?"

"While we were gone Tamsin and Kenzi finished putting together everything they thought I would need to follow and monitor Katie McMann. I am heading out now," she pointed over to a duffel bag and a file folder that sat by the door, "what about you?"

"I am going to stay here with Kenzi and keep an eye on Hale until Vince comes back. I want to sort through those loose pieces of paper that Tamsin shoved into the notebook she recovered. See if anything could be of use."

Bo nodded and was about to say something when Tamsin interrupted, "Bo I am headed to bed. I am going to crash here instead of going home. May I talk to you for a moment," she looked at me and then back at Bo, "in private?"

Bo told me she would be back in a moment and then she and Tamsin stepped out of the room and went down the hallway where the bedrooms were located.

I stayed where I was and leaned against the wall that separated the living room from the hallway. From where I was standing I could hear their conversation perfecting.

Tamsin spoke first, "What happened to the man that attacked Hale?"

I heard Bo sigh and respond, "I walked in on him kneeling over Hale. I was able to knock him off balance but even under threat of violence he wouldn't answer any of my questions. I had very little time to try and persuade him to answer me. I had to get Hale out of there."

I could hear Tamsin respond curtly, "That doesn't answer my question."

Bo raised her voice, "What do you want me to say Tamsin? I killed him. I made a choice."

Tamsin laughed sardonically, "So now we have another dead body on our hands. All the gunshots probably brought the attention of the police and the neighbors! "

Bo's retorted, "He was armed with a silencer. His shot at Hale and then at me couldn't have been heard. I didn't fire on him Tamsin. I asked him questions and he didn't answer. I slit his throat. Until someone checks the apartment, no one will know what happened there. I searched him and he had nothing on him. What did you want me to do? Let him live and have him report that Hale was alive and I was on the scene? I wasn't as lucky as you were with Daniel. I had no leverage on him since I knew nothing about him. I would never wish something like that on you or Kenzi or Lauren. I will happily play the monster in this shit if I have to but don't question me."

I heard Tamsin sigh, "You're right and I'm sorry. I am just way over tired I guess."

I heard Bo's voice and the hurt that laced it, "Don't worry about it. Get some rest."

As I peered down the hallway I could see Bo shut the bedroom door and walk back to the living room. As she stopped in front of me I said, "I am going to walk you out."

She nodded and went into the kitchen to check on Hale and then proceeded to the front door as I followed.

Bo turned after picking up the duffel bag and file, "See you later Kenzi."

"Be safe BoBo. No more craziness for the next twenty four hours."

Bo smiled and said, "I can't promise anything. Just be ready if I need to send anything to you or feed you info on the fly."

She opened the door and walked out to her truck with me close behind. I could hear her curse under her breath when she opened the back door of her truck and saw the blood that was smeared along the back seat and door. She closed the back door and opened the driver's door and tossed the bag and file onto the passenger's seat.

She turned to me, "I forgot about the mess in the back seat. Wait here."

I leaned against the truck and watched her run inside the house. After a few minutes she returned with a bucket that looked like it had water mixed with soap, a bristle brush and a cloth. She opened the back door again and proceeded to scrub the leather interior and then wiped it down. When Bo finished it was completely clean. She dumped the water in the grass and washed out the bucket, brush and cloth with the garden hose and placed the supplies by the front door.

She approached me and I could almost feel the tension rolling off her. I hoped I could get her to open up to me and talk about what was bothering her.

She leaned against the truck facing me mirroring my position and said, "It isn't even noon and this day has already felt so long. I'm worried about Hale and I dread setting up surveillance and following this woman from RNC."

I took a step closer to her invading her personal space. I grabbed her hand and laced our fingers together while rubbing her hand with my thumb as a sort of comforting gesture, "Hey. If anything changes with Hale I will call you and I know that you know this woman may have vital information and this needs to be done."

Bo squeezed my hand and nodded. She looked so defeated and resigned as she spoke, "Thank you Lauren. It means a lot."

I smiled and pried a little more. I knew something more was bothering her other than the things she shared with me. I could see it bubbling under the surface. "I can see that something else is bothering you. What is it? Does it have to do with your talk with Tamsin earlier?"

She was surprised and asked, "You heard that?"

I nodded that I had. She looked down crossing her arms over her chest and avoided my eyes when she spoke, "I'm afraid Lauren. You heard what I said to Tamsin and I meant it but it scares me. What if I can't come back from the things I may need to do to keep us safe and expose these people? What if I am a monster already? That I can kill like I do because there is nothing else left of me?"

My heart broke when I heard her admission. I reached my hand out and cupped her cheek guiding her to look at me. When she did I saw nothing but sadness in her expressive eyes.

"Bo you are not a monster. If you were then these things would not bother you so much. You protect the people you love and you are trying to stop something that could potentially hurt a lot of people. I have this connection to you and I know you are not the things you think you are."

She tugged on my hand and pulled me against her; wrapping her arms around me. I returned the embrace and I felt her squeeze me so tightly that I almost lost my breath. She leaned back just enough so she could look me in the eyes and I saw the beginning of a smile gracing her lips. I couldn't hold back and I leaned forward capturing those lips with my own. I poured all of my emotions into the kiss; trying to show her silently that I meant everything I said. I started to get lost in it and it took all my strength to break the moment. I knew she needed to leave but if I had it my way I would have stayed wrapped up in her for the rest of the day; banishing the outside world.

Bo POV

It was hard for me to catch my breath for a few moments after Lauren pulled away from me. Her kiss was tender and unhurried and I could feel the sentiment behind it. I wanted to pull her into my truck and leave. Damn the world. I longed to get lost in the woman that was quickly stealing my heart. The nagging little voice in the back of my mind was the only thing that stopped me. I gave Lauren one more chaste kiss and stepped into the driver's seat. She waved at me and I could see her shy smile as she backed away so I could pull out of the driveway. I started to drive to the intersection that would lead me out of the neighborhood and I could see her in the rearview mirror standing at the front door of the house watching me go. I played the words Lauren spoke to me over and over in my head. They resonated through me and I dared to let myself believe.

When I reached the light at the end of the street it was red. I took the time to open the file that Kenzi put together in addition to the information Hale gave us for Katie McMann. I punched in her address into the GPS and turned left once the light was green; following the directions the woman's electronic voice was instructing me to take to reach my destination.

It was about twenty five minutes later and I pulled up at the corner of Antoine Drive and Duckett Park. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed the landline number that was listed for Katie to see if she would answer. I let it ring until the answering machine picked up. I pulled away from the curb and began my way down Duckett Park searching out her house number. I found it about halfway down the street and the driveway was empty but I knew her car could be in the garage. The reason she didn't answer her home phone may be due to the fact that calls from my cell would show up as a restricted number on a caller ID.

I pulled alongside the curb and called Kenzi to help me possibly track down Katie McMann's whereabouts.

"Kenz can you trace Katie's personal cell phone and tell me if it shows up somewhere other than her home?"

"Yeah just give me a second." Kenzi said and I heard furious typing of a keyboard in the background.

I heard the typing stop and Kenzi gave me a location, "Ok BoBo her personal cell phone that is on record is showing up at the 14K Restaurant & Lounge."

I turned off my truck and responded, "Thanks Kenz. I will call you back once I am in her house and at her computer."

I disconnected the call and grabbed the duffel bag from the seat next to me. I stepped out of my truck and looked around. I didn't see any people outside but I was still very nervous breaking into this house in broad daylight. I walked up her driveway and headed around to the side of the house. There was a gate that opened up into her backyard. I checked it but found that it was locked from the other side. I threw the duffel bag over the wooded fence leading to her backyard and then hoped over; praying she didn't own any dogs even though her file indicated that she was pet free. The last thing I wanted was to get bitten by a guard dog. My side was still aching from where I was injured earlier.

I looked around the yard and didn't see any dogs. I let out a breath and was grateful for small favors. I picked up the bag and headed to the French double doors that led inside. I peeked through the window and I didn't see evidence of any pets inside. The house was dark and I was confident that the woman was not home. The 14K Restaurant & Lounge was a popular place for the DC city crowd to have brunch so I took it on faith that she was there currently. I called Kenzi again and tucked my phone in my pocket while slipping on my Bluetooth headset.

"Hola BoBo what's going on? Did you break in and find her computer already?" Kenzi asked with a sound of amazement in her voice.

"No. I am in her damn backyard and I am getting ready to gain entry. I forgot that we need to deactivate the alarm. I don't want to take any chances. Are you ready?" I asked as I slipped on my gloves and pulled out my Titan Precision lock pick set that has come in handy for so many years. The door had a handle lock but there was no dead bolt. I knelt down and inserted the tension wrench into the bottom of the key hole and applied pressure. I then inserted the pick at the top of the lock. I gave the wrench some torque and ran the pick back and forth inside the lock until I felt all the pins set. I removed my tools, packed them away and threw them into the duffel bag.

I opened the door slowly and walked inside shutting it behind me. I went further into the house and I spotted the alarm panel by the front door. I stepped up to it and spoke to Kenzi again, "I am inside Kenz and in front of the panel. Do your thing."

I waited and then I saw all the LEDs on the panel light up.

Kenzi instructed, "Ok Bo now enter 2580 then 1379 and then hold down the pound key until you hear three beeps. Once that is done the alarm is essentially unarmed."

I followed Kenzi's directions and once I was done I asked, "Will you be able to reset it remotely?"

"Yes. Don't worry about it. I can reset it remotely without you having to mess with it. Now go wire up her phone and find her laptop or computer and upload the program I gave you on the USB drive."

I stepped away from the alarm and looked around the house. It was a very beautiful one story home that was spread out allowing a lot of open space.

"Kenz where is the junction box for the landline?" I asked. I didn't want to waste time searching every closet across the entire house.

"It is in the utility closet that is off the kitchen by the garage entrance."

I laughed and shook my head as I walked through the house looking for the kitchen, "Kenzi I know I've said it before but I will say it again. You are absolutely amazing at finding any information we need no matter what it is on the fly. That is a special gift."

I could hear the smile in her voice when she responded, "Quit yapping and move faster though you will be happy to know I found and pulled the recording between James from the Treasury department and that asshat CIA director."

I found the utility closet and opened the door, "No shit! Did you guys listen to it yet?" I stepped into the closet and the junction box was on the wall to my right across from the washer and dryer.

"Nope. We will wait for you."

"Ok Kenz. I found the box. Hold on while I get this done."

I dropped the bag at my feet and opened the box. I could see where the phone company wiring led into the house and was punched down on the 66 block along with the wiring for the house line. It was an eight wire set up. I leaned over and hissed at the shooting pain in my side from my wound and pulled out the PSC I would need to tap the line. I unplugged the CAT3 cable at the phone company's demarc and connected the PSC to the RJ-11 jack. I reconnected the cabling to the PSC and shut the box.

I picked up my bag and exited the utility closet and shut the door. I headed towards the opposite side of the house and informed Kenzi I was done tapping the line. I found Katie's study and saw the laptop sitting on the desk. I sat down in the leather chair and opened the laptop and turned it on. While I waited for it to boot up completely I searched the bag for the USB drive and the box that held the bugs I wanted to plant in this office and her bedroom.

I placed the box on the desk and opened it. The bugs were the size of a microprocessor. They were a little bigger than a CR4. I pulled the first one out and walked around to the front of the desk. I pressed the sticky side of the bug underneath the right corner of the desk and bent down to make sure it would stick.

I returned to the chair sat back down and spoke to Kenzi, "The laptop is up and ready. I connected the USB drive and launched the executable. It looks like your little program is installing."

"It should only take a moment BoBo. This will allow me remote access so I can dig around on the hard drive and it will allow me to see what she is seeing so we can watch everything she does on this laptop." Kenzi said with pride in her voice.

I was still amazed by all the things Kenzi could do with networks and computers. Her hacking skills were the best I had ever seen and that included all the tech analysts that sat around Langley digging for secrets for the CIA both foreign and domestic.

"Ok Kenz. It's loaded. I pulled the drive but I am going to have to shut down the computer. I found it off when I came in."

I could hear her sigh on the other end of the line, "Just leave it on for now and turn it off on your way out. That will at least allow me to copy over some of the main directories and I can look at them on my system."

I threw the thumb drive into the bag and picked it up. I pushed the chair back to its original position and grabbed the box that held the second bug. I exited the study and headed down a hallway. I found a bathroom and a sitting room with a fully stocked bar. I reached the last door and peered inside. It was the master bedroom. I walked over to the nightstand by the bed and picked up the phone. I could hear a dial tone so I knew the tap and the work I did in the junction box didn't damage any of the wiring.

I knelt down and took the listening device from the box and placed it on the right leg of the nightstand with the bug facing towards the wall. When I was satisfied it would stay in place and was not visible I went back to the study.

"Kenzi may I shut this laptop down?" I asked as I moved over to the desk.

"Yeah go ahead. I was able to copy over some stuff that I can sift through until she accesses her laptop and we can poke around some more."

I used the touch pad and navigated it through the shutdown process. I went back to the French doors that led into the backyard and opened them. I locked the door from the inside and shut them behind me while I spoke to Kenzi, "I am back outside. Go ahead and reactivate her alarm. I am headed back to my truck. Stay on the line with me."

I jogged over to the gate I jumped earlier and I threw my bag over the top. I then hoped over and picked up my stuff and walked back to the truck. I knew I should have done this at night but I didn't want to risk missing any information that we could learn from this woman if I waited until the evening. I could only hope that no one saw me hop her gate. I didn't see any one outside but that didn't mean nosy neighbors weren't spying out their windows.

I got back in the truck and laid the bag onto the seat beside me and started the truck so I could turn on the air conditioner. It was cool outside but I was sweating.

"Kenzi is Katie's phone still showing her at the 14K Restaurant & Lounge?"

"It is." She replied simply.

"I am going to try and get eyes on her. It will take me about fifteen minutes to get over there. I will call then. Let me know if her phone begins to move." With that said I disconnected the call.

I pulled away from the curb and headed in the direction of the restaurant. The traffic was light due to the weekend which allowed me to reach my next location in under fifteen minutes. I parked my truck in a lot across the street and I tried to get eyes on my target.

I shook my head. She wasn't a target. She was a person of interest. I didn't want to think of her as a target. That made me feel like I was on a kill job for the CIA and I refused to slip back into that thinking. I wouldn't harm her unless it was absolutely necessary.

I called Kenzi and put her on hands free so I could get comfortable. It was odd hearing her speak to me through the speakers in my truck. It was like having Kenzi in surround sound.

"Hey Kenz. I am parked across the street. I am in a position that I shouldn't miss her when she exits the building. How is Hale? Lauren said she would call if anything changed but I'm still worried."

"He woke put for a few minutes but was out of it even then. He is sleeping now and doesn't seem to be in any pain. He even looks a little better now that the blood transfusion is done. Lauren removed the IV and bandaged his arm. Your girl has mad skill."

I smiled when I thought about Lauren, "She wanted to be a doctor before she got into politics. She knows her stuff."

I sat in silence for about ten minutes while I listened to Kenzi type on her keyboard. It was strangely comforting hearing the rhythm of the keys as Kenzi danced her fingers across them.

I watched as a man existed the restaurant and held the door for the woman he was with. I looked closer and saw that the woman was Katie McMann.

"Kenzi I have eyes on her. She is with someone. Standby."

Once they were outside the man grabbed Katie and pulled her into a kiss. A very passionate kiss. I needed to know who this guys was. I grabbed the camera from the bag and when they parted and turned towards the parking lot I snapped several pictures of him. I watched as he got into a Mazda MX-5 Miata. I zoomed in and took pictures of the license plate as well. I put the camera back in the bag and watched as he pulled onto the street and headed east. Katie was finally situated in her vehicle and I debated on whether I should follow her or take the memory card from the camera back to Kenzi so she could run the pictures.

"Kenzi I have some pictures of the guy she was with but I have no way to upload them to you now. I also got pictures of his license plate but I can read that out to you now if you want to get started."

"Yep. I'm ready when you are." She said.

I started my truck and pulled out of the lot following behind Katie. She seemed to be heading back in the direction of her house.

"The plate is B40628. I am headed back home. I want to get these pictures to you. Talk to you later."

I disconnected the call and took a right at the next intersection as I watched Katie continue on her current path. I was tired and my side hurt. I stuck my right hand under my shirt and I realized I was still wearing my gloves. I took them off and placed them in the bag and then I went back to feel my bandage. I ran my fingers over it and I could tell I needed to change it. I knew jumping over fences was probably not the best way to allow myself to heal.

As I drove I felt the urge to shut my eyes. The events from this morning with Hale and putting ears in at Katie's house was taking its toll on me. I could feel the tension in my shoulders and back. I knew this feeling well. It was the physical, mental and emotional state that I lived in over the past seven years as I jumped from place to place on short term assignments with the agency. I pulled into the driveway at last. I grabbed the bag I headed into the house.

When I walked in I saw Lauren checking on Hale and Tamsin eating a sandwich while lounging on the couch. Kenzi was still hard at work and I felt a twinge of guilt as I looked at her. I hated that we were pilling so much on her and she was stuck in the house and away from her own apartment.

I dropped the duffel I had been using and leaned close to her as I spoke softly, "Thank you for everything Kenzi. I am sorry that we keep you in a perpetual state of work. If you ever want to bail, please let me know. I don't want you to feel obligated to help."

She stopped what she was doing and looked at me with what I could see was anger in her eyes, "Don't ever say that again Bo. I love helping out and I do not feel obligated. I would never bail out on you. Ever. You guys keep me busy but we are doing a good thing here. The only thing I ask is that at some point today we head back to my apartment so I can grab some more clothes."

I smiled and put my hand on her shoulder, "I will come with you. The little clothes I packed or had here is running low. I need to grab more stuff myself. I didn't mean to insult you."

She patted my hand that was on her shoulder and turned back to what she was doing. I picked up the camera and ejected the memory card and handed it over to Kenzi. I grabbed the duffel and took it with me to my bedroom. I dropped it on the floor by the bed as I made my way into the bathroom. I flipped on the light and shut the door. I slowly pulled my shirt off and looked at my side in the mirror. I grabbed the first aid kit Lauren had used earlier. I changed the bandage and put my shirt back on while I headed out of the bathroom and back to the living room.

I walked over to Hale and I could see that he was still unconscious. Lauren smiled at me and said, "He is doing as well as can be expected. He is on antibiotics to combat infection. He doesn't have a fever and he is breathing easily. I don't think he is in much pain at the moment."

I walked around to where she was standing. I watched her as she finished changing Hale's bandage. The care and precision she took as she worked was endearing and I fell just a little bit more for her. "Thank you for taking such good care of him Lauren."

She took off her latex gloves and threw them in a biohazard container under the table that Vince must have left behind. She looked at me and I saw the adoration in her eyes, "Of course Bo. Now come on. Let's see what we have."

She took my hand and led me into the living room. We sat down on the couch as Tamsin got up to move over and sit by Kenzi.

I spoke first, "What are doing up Tamsin?"

She smirked at me and said, "I got hungry." I just shook my head.

Lauren spoke next, "Well I went through all the papers Tamsin brought back with the notebook and I couldn't find anything that related to me or anything else pertaining to government. Everything I saw looked like personal notes that didn't really seem to help us."

Tamsin responded, "So the notebook along with Kagen's phone are dead ends at this point. All we really know is that he was working for RNC and following you on orders from Michael Hansen."

Lauren nodded, "Seems that way."

I directed my question to Tamsin, "I planted the listening devices at Katie McMann's house. Is the receiver set up?"

Tamsin moved and pointed to the receiver that was sitting on Kenzi's desk to the left of her monitors, "Yep all set up. Where did you put them?"

"Master bedroom and study."

She nodded, "Well then we will pick up anything that is in or near those places in the house."

Kenzi raised her hand for a second but didn't turn around, "I have some stuff for you guys. The license plate on that Mazda MX-5 belongs to a guy named Colin Burnell. He has a DC address. He has no kids and isn't married. He makes about seventy five grand a year. I am running his photo now to see if I can get more information on him."

I called out to Kenzi, "Run his photo against active Secret Service agents. I have a feeling. I am assuming you can or have already accessed their network as well?" I smirked at her though she wasn't looking at me.

"Of course BoBo. I have my hands in all the pies. Ok I am doing that now. I also have the recording between James Kokemor and Director Long."

"Play it." Tamsin said.

" _James Kokemor speaking."_

" _Hello James."_

" _Director Long?"_

" _Call me Robert. I believe we should be on a first name basis."_

" _Uh ok Robert. What can I do for you?"_

" _You already know what you can do for me. It is time to move the money James. As I instructed. If you don't your little secret won't be such a secret anymore."_

" _What you're asking me to do it treasonous! Misappropriation of funds."_

" _And what you did may not be treason but you still broke the law and covered it up."_

" _If I do this then you will forget about what you saw?"_

" _I didn't see it James but I know about it. Don't underestimate the reach I have."_

" _Fine. I will transfer the money offshore as you asked. Three accountd over the next four weeks."_

" _Thank you James."_

Kenzi shot up out of her chair, "Holy shit guys. Did you hear that? Bo I can't believe you worked for that guy! He is freaking evil. I wonder what this James guy could have done that was so bad he would rather move money than let it go public."

I was in a haze. I could not believe what I had just heard. I knew the Director was involved in this but hearing that phone call nailed it home. I corrected Kenzi, "I didn't work for him Kenzi. He just happens to be the head of the agency I used to work for. I never answered to him directly."

"Yeah but what if some of the things the CIA had you do were actually underhanded dealings that normally wouldn't have been sanctioned?" Kenzi blurted out as she got more worked up.

I felt Lauren pull my hand into her lap. Her touch soothed me, "Trust me Kenzi the thought has already crossed my mind but I can't question it now. I was following orders and trusted in the chain of command as I was taught to do. If that was violated somehow then I am not aware of it."

Tamsin said, "What do we want to do with James? I don't think we can question him without drawing attention to ourselves. At least not yet."

"I agree Tamsin," I looked over at Lauren and continued, "on Monday do you think you could get eyes on this guy Lauren? Just pass by his office and see if you can pick up on anything?"

She nodded and replied, "I can do that."

Kenzi sat back down but then jumped when she heard activity come through on the receiver. She looked at all of us while pointing to it and said, "Everyone be quiet. We have incoming! I am recording now."

I stifled my laugh and sat forward on the couch as Lauren followed suit.

" _Yes?"_

" _I am calling to report in sir."_

" _What do you have Ms. McMann?"_

" _I just had brunch with him. He will be coming over tonight. It is his last free night before he goes back on detail. He will be bringing his stuff over so he can leave from here in the morning when he needs to report in. I should have access to his laptop."_

" _Do you think you can get on his laptop and get the remaining information we need and plant the rest?"_

" _I have no doubt Mr. Hansen. I will have everything in place and the rest of what you asked for by tomorrow morning."_

" _Good job Ms. McMann. I believe we are ready to move on to the next step."_

" _Let me know if I can do anything else."_

" _Nothing more at this time other than the information on the detail assigned to the President."_

" _Very good then. I will report back in the morning."_

The call ended and Kenzi stopped the recording.

I shook my head and stared off at nothing while I spoke, "This is very bad. It sounds like Katie is involved with a Secret Service agent assigned to the President in order to obtain classified information. I can only guess on the details but it would probably be alternate driving routes. Alternate entrance and exit routes for different public engagements. Agent information and who knows what else."

Tamsin started pacing the room and spoke in an agitated voice, "I agree. It sounds like they are getting inside information on the protection detail so they can plan the best way to eliminate the President."

"Did that come from the phone tap?" Lauren asked.

I nodded, "Yes. She called Hansen from her landline. That is why we were able to hear both ends of the conversation."

Lauren directed her next question to Kenzi, "Is there any way to find out what number she called?"

"I can. I will add it to my list. I got a hit on the photo Bo took." Kenzi sat back and moved her chair so everyone could see her screen where the information popped up.

Tamsin stopped her pacing and leaned over to get a better look at what was found. She read off the details, "Colin Burnell is the lead Secret Service agent assigned to the Presidential detail. He is thirty five years old and has been on this detail since the President took office. He has an exemplary record. I doubt he knows what's going on. Hansen mentioned 'planting the rest' I bet they are setting this guy up to take the fall for whatever they have planned."

Lauren leaned into me and I removed my hand from hers to pull her closer to me. I could see the gears in her head turning while she said, "What if we talk to this agent before he gets to her house tonight and inform him of what is happening. That the woman he is involved with is stealing classified information from him and possibly setting him up in the process."

I nodded in agreement and Tamsin said, "That could work but he may not believe us. Lauren you can't approach him and Bo neither can you. If talking to him goes south your career would be ruined Lauren and Bo you are dark now and that wouldn't help the case at all. I can try to talk to him. Best case scenario is that he checks for any irregularities on his laptop or his paperwork possibly confirming that she could have accessed classified material without having him ask me too many questions or arresting me. Worst case is he arrests me and doesn't believe me either. I think it is worth a shot though. If this woman can't get the rest of the information she is promising Hansen then we may stop this."

I put my head in my hands and sighed before relaying my thoughts, "Tamsin if your approach to him works then the only thing we are doing is stalling the inevitable. I can only imagine that they have contingency plans in place. We would only be pushing back their deadline."

Lauren started rubbing small circles on my back trying to relax me. She brought up another question, "I agree with Bo. It would only delay their plans. Kenzi is it possible for her to access his laptop and have it be completely untraceable? If Agent Burnell believes Tamsin and he checks, would it be possible that he finds nothing?"

"No way. There could be a log of when he is on and off his system. There would be discrepancies there. If she is planting some type of evidence on his laptop as well then that would be a huge red flag. Government issued laptops track everything. There is no way she could wipe her footprints clean one hundred percent."

We were interrupted by a beeping sound coming from Kenzi's system.

"Kenz what is that?"

"BoBo it is the alert I set up on the three accounts that were set up at the Bank of Macau. One of the accounts has been emptied."

Lauren spoke up, "Can you trace it?"

"I am trying. Everything is being routing all sorts of different ways. Leading me down false paths and dummy accounts."

Tamsin resumed her pacing while Lauren and I sat in silence allowing Kenzi to work in peace. I was getting impatient and needed to stretch my legs. I got up and went to check on Hale.

I stood by my friend and watched him sleep. I was surprised that we had not awaked him but I assumed it was due to the pain medication running through his IV drip. I would have to ask Lauren. There was really no change from what I could see but I figured no news was good news. I felt a presence behind me and I knew it was Lauren before I turned around.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

I gave her small smile hoping it would ease her worry for me, "As good as I can be. You?"

She returned my smile that turned into a half smirk, "As good as I can be."

"Why is Hale sleeping so much?"

Lauren's eyes light up a little as she explained, "It is the pain medication. Vince has him on codeine. The amount must be causing his drowsiness. He will be weaned off the medication and once this happens he will be more alert and responsive."

"You would have been one hell of a sexy doctor Lauren." As soon as it came out of my mouth I blushed. I could not believe I said that to her and hoped I had not crossed a line. I gave her my best smile and winked at her trying to pull a positive reaction from her.

She blushed and it ran up her neck and around her ears to her cheeks. She stepped into my personal space and leaned into me and whispered into my ear, "Maybe you can find out some time. In private."

I was shocked speechless and she smirked while walking back into the living room.

I could feel my desire for her building and I was aroused to the point that I had to close my eyes and take a calming breath. I knew this was the worst time but the little exchange we just had helped ease the stress and worry of everything we done and learned today. Even if it was for a short time it was enjoyable to let go for just a minute.

When I heard Kenzi shout from the living room I walked over to her. "What Kenzi?"

"Oh BoBo I found who accessed the account in Macau. His name is Alexei Yevdokimov. I am trying to find information on him now."

I placed my hand over hers so she would stop typing. "You don't need to search Kenzi. I know Alexei Yevdokimov."

Tamsin jaw dropped, "You know this guy? I have only heard of him."

I amended my statement. "I know of him. He is on all the agencies most wanted lists. He is an organized crime boss. He is referred to as the "boss of bosses" of most Russian Mafia syndicates. The FBI described him as the most dangerous mobster in the world. He has been accused of weapons trafficking, contract murders, extortion, drug trafficking, and prostitution on an international scale. If the money from the Intelligence budget was moved offshore partly to pay Yevdokimov then I can almost guarantee that he will be the one to coordinate an attack on the President."


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Short chapter but wanted to get something out there. I think my muse ran away so sorry about the length of this. There isn't much more to the story as a whole. The woman have an assassination to stop and another portion of the conspiracy to uncover before tying up loose ends putting things together and ending the madness. Plus BoLo need to find some time together right?**

Lauren POV

I had never heard of Alexei Yevdokimov but the reaction from Tamsin and Bo along with Bo's run down on the man brought me to the conclusion that he was a man to be feared and he was smart. If Interpol, foreign and US law enforcement had yet to bring this man to justice then he was resourceful and intelligent.

I turned to Bo and watched her. I could see this new information had knocked her off keel. Her eyes were downcast and brow furrowed as her mind raced to connect the dots.

"There is no way he would attempt to enter the country. My guess is that he already has someone here. So we don't have a name, location or face on this guy. Tamsin you have to get to Colin Burnell. Convince him of what is going on."

Tamsin pulled out her phone and leaned over Kenzi's shoulder, "What is his cell number Kenzi?"

Kenzi pointed to the screen as Tamsin squinted to read the numbers and then proceed to punch them in to her phone. We watched and waited while she paced the room. It didn't take long for her to shake her head at us and then heard her leave a message for the agent to call her back and that it was urgent. She dropped her hand away after ending the call and walked over to us, "He didn't answer. I will keep trying. I will head to his apartment if I don't hear back from him in about thirty minutes. See if I can catch him there."

I heard Hale starting to stir behind me. I bumped Bo in the arm and motioned towards him. She turned her attention away from Tamsin as she walked over to the kitchen table with a bit of a spark in her eye. I could clearly see that she was elated that he was waking up.

Bo turned from Hale and directed Tamsin, "Call Vince and get him over here now." I watched as she walked away from the entry to the kitchen to make yet another phone call.

Bo turned back to Hale and I joined her in the kitchen while Kenzi looked on from her seat at the desk.

"Bo." Hale rasped out just above a whisper.

"Let me get you some water. Hold on." Bo made her way around the table to the counter where bottles of water were sitting out to be stocked into the refrigerator. She twisted the cap and came back to him holding his head while he took sloppy sips.

"Better?"

He nodded his head as she lightly laid him back down on the pillow. "Are you feeling well enough to tell us what happened?"

Hale's attention was broken when Tamsin entered the kitchen announcing that Vince would be here in fifteen minutes.

Bo must have seen his eyes wander since she backpedaled and introduced myself as well as Kenzi and Tamsin. Hale gave me an odd look and I could only assume he was trying to place where he had seen me before.

Hale's voice was a bit stronger now when he spoke, "I received a call from Mr. Hansen asking me to come into the office. I found it odd that he was calling and that he was requesting me on a Saturday. I had a feeling it had to do with the files I pulled and the corners I dug around in. Long story short he laid me off stating that he needed to cut back personnel. I didn't buy it but I really had no choice but to accept it. I went home and found my apartment ransacked and a guy I had never seen before was sitting on one of my barstools. He just shot me before I could do anything. I fell to my knees as he stood up grabbing me under my arms and he pulled me further into my living room while asking me all sorts of questions. Who was I working for and why did I pull the personnel files. I didn't answer him and that was when you showed up Bo."

Bo grabbed his hand and I could hear the emotion in her voice as it cracked when she spoke, "I am so sorry I got you mixed up in this Hale."

He shook his head while shushing her, "Shh. Don't apologize. You know I would do anything for you. Just tell me you're going to get these guys."

"I swear it to you Hale." Bo laughed and pulled in a deep breath to rein in her over active emotions. I placed a comforting hand on her back and I could feel her relax against my touch.

"So what's the damage?" He asked wincing some when he moved.

Tamsin chimed in to answer the question, "The bullet passed through the muscle surrounding your abdomen. It missed the actual abdominal cavity along with any major arteries or organs. You should be up and around in a couple of weeks."

I watched Bo as she spoke with Hale. She was trying to hold a strong front but I could see in her eyes that she wanted to break under the weight of her guilt. Her eyes told me everything. It was one of the first things that attracted me to her. Her eyes were so expressive and spoke volumes when the woman didn't. If one didn't look they wouldn't see it. She wore her heart on her sleeve when it involved someone she cared about.

A knock at the door broke my thoughts. I watched Kenzi hop up, peek through the window and then unlock and open the door. She stepped aside and let Vince in. He came straight over to the table and we all moved out of the way to allow him to work. Bo vaguely filled Hale in on what occurred after he passed out in the truck while Vince inspected the wound and changed the bandage while replacing the saline bag that hung on a makeshift metal stand.

Vince tore off his latex gloves and spoke to the room, "The wound isn't bad considering where it is. You are very lucky. I see no signs of infection. It will be painful for a while. Limit your movements. If nothing unforeseen happens I would estimate you will be up on your feet in a few weeks."

"When can we move him off the table and into a bedroom?" Tamsin asked.

Vince collected his things and headed for the door, "I will come back tomorrow and we can move him then."

We all issued our thanks and Vince let himself out. He was no nonsense and didn't ask any questions. I imagined that those traits were in high demand for this type of situation. I pondered on how often this type of situation actually occurred. It baffled me that it could possibly be a common occurrence. I couldn't fathom this type of thing unfolding behind the curtains on a regular basis while the public people had no clue of what actually occurred in the belly of the beast.

Tamsin's phone rang and she answered it almost immediately. I gathered that it was Colin Burnell returning her call from the things she was saying.

When she was finished Tamsin disconnected her call and filled in the blanks of the conversation, "That was Agent Burnell. I am going to meet him at his apartment at seven. He sounded skeptical but willing to listen so this is a step in the right direction. I still have some time so if you guys wanted to head to the apartment to get more clothes I can hang here and keep an eye on Hale."

Bo glanced at me and I nodded. I knew she was silently asking me if she could go and if I wanted to join her. Kenzi jumped up and said, "Hell yeah. I am so tired of recycling the same few pairs of clothes. I miss my home bitches. Let's go. I'll drive!" She took off out the garage door.

Bo and I laughed at the excited energy that was uniquely Kenzi. I was nice to laugh a little considering the events of the day. I could hear Kenzi start her car in the garage.

"Thank you Tamsin. Be careful tonight and call as soon as your meeting is done or if you need any help."

"I will. Get out of here before Kenzi takes off without you." Tamsin motioned to the door with her head and went to sit at the computer desk after grabbing a bag of chips.

Bo turned to Hale, "Hey buddy. Do you mind if I check out of here for a while? Tamsin will look after you. I know you don't know her but I give you my word you can trust her." The look of guilt and apprehension that was etched across her features earlier returned. I knew she felt guilty for leaving his side and this only compounded the guilt she felt for getting him involved in the first place.

Hale smiled the best he could and reassured her it was fine. He still didn't ask any questions about what we were involved in and that genuinely surprised me. It made me realize the amount of trust that existed between the two friends and a part of me envied it. I had never had anything quite like it in my life.

Bo looped her finger around my belt loop and led me into the garage. We piled into the backseat of Kenzi's car and she took off like a race driver once the garage door was open.

I had to distract myself from the road. "So Bo you said that you lived with Kenzi?"

She laced our fingers together and smiled, "Yeah. I was overseas so much that I never found a reason to buy or rent a place of my own. Kenzi was kind enough to allow me the spare bedroom at her place for when I visited. Kenzi's address is what the CIA has on file for my place of residence. The truck is also in Kenzi's name. I have go bags stashed in several locations around the city with cash and various passports and aliases in case I ever found myself needing to escape. The only bank account I have is out of the Caymans under a completely clean name."

Kenzi piped in from the front seat, "See Hotpants, Bobo is crazy paranoid."

Bo got an annoyed look on her face but said nothing and I squeezed her hand to reassure her. She looked over at me and I smiled hoping to ease her frustration from Kenzi's words. I couldn't pretend to know what that type of life was like. I found it difficult to maintain the walls I built around myself as I rose up in the political arena. Guarding my words and actions. Forgoing any friendships or relationships. I did this both to hide my heart and preserve my public image. Scandal was easy to start in this city. It only took a spark to ignite the flames that could end a government position before it ever started.

Kenzi swerved into a parking space and threw her car into park. "We're home!"

The excited woman jumped out of the car and practically ran to the first floor apartment that was visible from where we parked. Bo escorted me to the front door again with her finger through my belt loop. I liked how she hung on to me. I felt safe and it was sort of a possessive hold but it was comfortable.

We entered the apartment and it was beautiful. The kitchen had state of the art appliances with marble counter tops. The living room was spacious with a mounted TV that couldn't have been smaller than fifty five inches with an extraordinary dark cherry wood entertainment center. I could see gaming systems and a massive collection of music, video games and movies stashed on the coffee table and couch.

I followed Bo down a long hall and into her bedroom. She went to the closet and pulled out a bag and started packing shirts, jeans and other things to take back to the house. I stood in the doorway for a moment and took it all in. This was the place that Bo called home and I wanted to see every little thing that told more of the story behind the woman I was quickly falling for.

She looked up at me and told me to come in. I walked over to a desk that was against the wall across from the bed. There was a laptop and several photos in black metal frames. Some of the pictures were of her and Kenzi at the beach or the park acting like goofy smiling teenagers. Other photos looked to be of her and her unit overseas. I set the frames down and opened the shadow box that was shoved to the back corner of the desk. I recognized some of the medals. There was the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and Marksmanship Badges. I wondered what happened that would earn her a Purple Heart but I pushed the question down. I didn't want to bring up something that could be potentially painful to remember much less share with someone who had not experienced such things. I put the box back where I found it and walked over to her closet. Bo's Full Dress uniform was shoved to the very back. I pulled it forward and could see that she had been a Corporal. The name tag indicated a last name of Walker. I assumed that was her given surname before it was lost in the growing sea of aliases and spy games. I turned around and saw a flat screen TV set back in a small entertainment center that had a Playstation and Xbox attached to it. I walked over and examined the various video games and movies she had stored in one of the cabinets.

I looked over and said, "You play video games?"

She looked down to hide the blush that had crept up from my question, "Yeah I used to play online with Kenzi when I was in the military if time permitted. It was another way to connect with her other than satellite phone calls and once a week Skype calls. I got hooked." She shrugged her shoulders and stepped into the bathroom. I kept perusing around the room. She had magazines lying around that sported all kinds of motorcycles and cars. Her bookshelf was filled with the classics of Walt Whitman, Shakespeare, Robert Frost, Cummings and Bukowski. I was mildly surprised and impressed. I was a fan of such poets and authors and I reveled in the fact that we shared this interest as well. I realized how much we still had to learn about each other and it excited me.

She came back from the bathroom and sat down on the bed tossing things into her bag. She leaned down and zipped it up before turning to look at me.

I felt bold in the moment and I wanted nothing more than to be close to her. I stalked over to her with purpose and straddled her lap throwing my arms around her neck. Her arms instantly went around my waist and I could see the look of sheer surprise on her face. I dipped my head and kissed her passionately. She responded to me instantly. I nipped at her bottom lip causing her to moan into the kiss and she opened her mouth allowing me entrance. When my tongue met hers my arousal soared and I could feel how wet I was becoming. I kept one hand on the back of her neck holding her in place while my other went exploring. I ran my wandering hand down her neck and along her collarbone before moving further down to cup her left breast running my thumb over her hardened nipple. She gasped and gripped me tighter to her. I felt her hands run under my shirt and up my back. I shivered at the feel of her hands on my bare skin. I broke the kiss and started to nip and lick my way down her neck as my hand moved from her breast to her jeans. I slid my hand past the barrier of clothing and ran my fingers through her most intimate place. I moaned at how wet she was for me and it excited me further. I felt her fingers dig into my back as I slowly explored her. Her breathing started to quicken and I brought my lips back to hers. In the distance I heard Kenzi yelling that she was almost done and it broke the moment. She pulled back from me just slightly but didn't let go of the embrace as she rested her forehead against my chest. I removed my hand from her and threw my arm around her back holding her to me. I could feel her breathing calm as did mine.

I suddenly felt embarrassed that I had essentially attacked the woman and I started to pull away and stand up but she held me in place. Bo lifted her head from my chest and brought her hand to my face guiding me to look at her. She kissed me lightly and then looked at me with an intense unwavering gaze.

"Don't pull away from me." She held my eyes and I could see the fire in hers.

I stammered, "I I I'm sorr-"

She interrupted my half assed apology, "Please don't say sorry. Please don't regret the start of something so beautiful because I'm not sorry. I only wish we had more time."

I blushed at the thought of having a whole uninterrupted night of passion with her and nodded that I understood her.

Bo loosened her grip on me and I stood up as she bent down to pick up her bag. She grabbed my hand and walked me out of the room to meet with Kenzi before we left once again for the safe house.

Tamsin POV

Once Bo, Lauren and Kenzi returned I left to head back to my place. I needed to eat, shower and get out of these clothes. I was nervous about my meeting with Colin Burnell. There were so many outcomes that could spring forth from this impromptu meeting that I guiltily wished I could back out. It was a fleeting thought but it was there. I arrived home and headed straight for the kitchen. I quickly threw together a turkey sandwich with a salad on the side before I half sat half laid on my couch and watched some reality TV show about special effects make-up artists. I had never seen it before but I was barely paying attention regardless. My mind couldn't settle for more than a minute before it was racing over what I was going to say. Frustrated and unable to sit still I got up and dumped my salad bowl and my plate into the sink not bothering to wash them off or put them in the dishwasher. I checked the clock and it was five. I needed to leave at half past six but with nothing else to settle my nerves I decided to get ready early.

I hoped in the shower and ran the water as hot as I could stand it. I could see the steam rise off my skin as it turned a shade of red from the heat. The water was soothing and helped ease my mind and relax my body. I washed myself and continued to stand under the spray until it started to run cold and my fingers began to prune. Shutting off the shower I stepped out and dried my hair with a towel before wrapping it around my body. I loved to let my hair dry naturally. I lived alone so I never found the need to shut the bathroom door when I bathed.

I paused when I heard the creak of one of my floor boards by the front door. I pulled off the towel quickly but quietly and threw on a T-shirt and jeans from the clean clothes pile I never bothered to put away without bothering with a bra or underwear. I needed to move. I knew someone was in my space and had precious little time to waste.

I stepped into my bedroom and bent down by the bed sliding my hand under the mattress. I felt my fingers graze over the weapon I always kept there. I pulled it from its resting place and proceeded to move towards my bedroom door. I moved swiftly knowing where all the loose wooden boards were keeping my steps quiet. I put my back against the wall and peered around the corner to see who was here when I felt a hand come across my temple causing me to stumble away from the wall and my vision to blur. I dropped my gun, hearing it land but not seeing where it went. I fell to one knee and leaned against the bed as the man approached me again. He lifted me and I took a punch to the stomach almost causing me to lose my lunch as my breath left me with force. I sagged into him trying to regain my balance as he gripped my throat turning and slammed my back against the wall causing my head to snap back. He squeezed hard not allowing me to catch my already lost breath. I could see black spots starting to appear. He pushed forward putting more weight into his grip and I grasped at him desperately trying to release myself and find a weapon before I passed out. I ran my hands down his body and felt a gun in a holster under his jacket. I pulled it out while releasing the safety and jammed it upwards into his ribs before he realized what was happening. I fired, the sound muffled by his body and he looked at me in shock. I dropped the gun as he dropped his head to see what I had done. As I slid down the wall he dropped to his knees. The vise grip he had me in still hadn't relented. The last thing I saw before I passed out and let the blackness take me was his hand dropping from my throat and his body hitting the floor with his dead eyes staring back at me.


	11. Chapter 11

Bo POV

I leaned against the sink hand washing the dishes that had collected over the past few days before placing them in the dishwasher. When we came back to the house from the apartment Hale was awake and his appetite was strong. Tamsin left to go home before her meeting and I fixed him some soup. It was out of a can but it was something light for him to eat and settle his empty stomach. I turned from my task and saw that he was again sleeping though he looked rather uncomfortable. I was anxious to move him to a proper bed tomorrow. I had no doubt that his back hurt from laying on such a hard surface. I closed the dishwasher and set it to run while I turned off the water. I was having a hard time sitting still. I opened the blinds to the window above the sink that overlooked the side yard of the house. The sun had already set but it wasn't quite dark. Everything looked grey with the hint of night creeping in. Tamsin had not called yet but it was only half past seven and I knew logically that her meeting would take time if she was to convince this agent that he had been compromised. With all this in mind my gut still screamed at me that something was wrong. It was Lauren's calming words that convinced me to hold off on finding them and storming in to save the day. I didn't think I could bear it if something happened to Tamsin as well if I had the ability to stop it.

Despite how inappropriate it was given the current circumstances my mind was also awash with thoughts of Lauren. More specifically thoughts of taking Lauren against the nearest wall I could find. I was smothered with guilt that Hale was hurt because I asked him for help. Guilt that we tore my sister away from her life to sit in this house day in and day out to data mine and break the law by hacking into anything and everything when we saw the need for it. Guilt that Tamsin was jeopardizing herself and her job by continuing to illegally use NSA resources for our hunt to find and expose the truth. Guilt that any wrong move could ruin Lauren's career or put her in danger. These were their choices but it ate at me regardless. I closed my eyes and the events of this afternoon came rushing back to me. The feel of Lauren's body against mine. The feel of her touching me so intimately. It woke something inside me that I didn't think existed anymore; that I thought was buried ages ago and I longed for it again. I knew without a doubt that my feelings were not born from loneliness or a need for distraction. They were genuine and I could not shake the notion that I belonged with this woman. That somehow it was meant to be on a level I didn't understand. She was beautiful, intelligent, strong, independent, and courageous. She did not care that my past was full of bad things done for good reasons. She understood it and wanted me anyway. I was not forced to lie to her for the sake of a cover or operation. Anything she asked me, anything she wanted to know I would always answer with the truth. There was no need to deceive her and this fact flooded me with relief and gave me hope that I could build something real with this woman. I felt freer in the past week than I had in the last seven years.

I was startled when a hand slid up my back to my shoulder, "Penny for your thoughts?"

I glanced over and saw Lauren standing beside me. "I didn't hear you come in. Being stealthy like that Lauren can be a really great skill." I winked at her and smiled. She had completely taken me by surprise. It was rare for anyone to approach me without my notice. It made me realize I was far too focused on the things swirling around in my head.

I answered her question, "I was thinking about Tamsin and you."

She quirked her eyebrow at me and repeated, "Tamsin and me?"

I laughed realizing how that must have sounded and elaborated, "I am worried about Tamsin and then I was thinking about how incredibly wonderful you are."

I could see that my comment pleased her but she chose to ignore it opting to talk about the source of my worry, "Call her but I still don't think there is anything to worry about. It is only eight now and this is something that could take quite a bit of time."

I conceded, "You're right. I know you're right. My gut is just screaming at me though." I pulled out my phone and dialed Tamsin's number. After the fifth ring I was about to hang up when I heard the line engage and Tamsin's voice filtered through from the other end. Her voice was raspy and forced. I listened as she quickly filled me on what happened followed by a request for my help.

I hung up the phone and grabbed Lauren's hand dragging her into the living room with me so I could speak to her and Kenzi, "Tamsin was attacked at her apartment. She never even made it to the meeting. I can only imagine it was another RNC asshole like the one sent to Hale's apartment. I guess they were monitoring Agent Burnell's phone and sent someone to stop her from interfering. It would make sense that they were. I can't believe we didn't take that into consideration. If Tamsin missed her appointment then he may have gone to Katie's house as he originally planned. Kenzi listen and watch for anything coming from her house. I need to go."

I opened the front door and stepped out when I felt the door being pulled back while I tried to close it. I turned and saw Lauren following me. I started to protest when she gave me a look that stopped me short. I knew from her earlier comments that her involvement was her choice and she demanded my respect for her decisions. I only worried for her safety and the scandal what would erupt if she was caught at a crime scene. I finally figured out that she was not the type of woman to sit on the sidelines if she thought she could be of any help. This made me fall for her just a little bit more.

She closed the door and we quickly loaded into my truck and headed over to meet Tamsin. On the way I made a call to one of my unsavory state side contacts that would clean up the mess at the apartment for a fee.

When we finally pulled up to Tamsin's apartment building I asked Lauren to stay in the truck and watch for anyone suspicious that might show up to check on the status of the hit on Tamsin. I explained that if the man that attacked Tamsin did not report in with his superior then they would probably send someone else to investigate.

"I need you to call us if you see anyone that may be here to find out what happened up in that apartment." After I got out of the truck I popped the driver's side door panel off the frame and reached in between the two. I pulled out a small backpack and slung it over my shoulder.

As I popped the panel back into the frame Lauren asked, "What is that?"

"Money. To pay the man I called on the way here. He is going to dispose of the body in Tamsin's apartment and clean up any evidence that would indicate what happened here."

Lauren's eyes widened for just a split second before she composed herself, "Why didn't you do the same thing when Hale was attacked?"

"I did. Hale can't go back to his place until this is over. He has a target on his back as does Tamsin now but if a neighbor or the police come snooping then they won't find anything upon a cursory check."

She looked hurt when she spoke, "Oh I didn't realize."

I grabbed her hand to get her attention, "I wasn't going to call in a cleaner until Tamsin voiced her concerns earlier about the neighbors or police getting involved in what happened at Hale's apartment. This money will pay for the cleanup job from earlier today and for the one we need now. Plus it pays for discretion. The guys that came after Tamsin and Hale have to be guns for hire on the RNC payroll. No one will be calling in a missing person's report. This keeps the police and nosy neighbors away."

"You better go."

I hesitated for a moment and then made my way to Tamsin's front door. I knocked then I heard Tamsin make her way to the front door. She always had nosy floor boards. She opened the door and ushered me inside.

I immediately saw the deep bruises around her neck and along her temple down to her eye.

"Jesus Tamsin. Are you ok?" I felt like an idiot for asking that question.

"Yeah. I already packed a bag with clothes and essentials. I am ready to go when your guy gets here." Tamsin motioned to her stuff by the door.

I nodded and then looked over her shoulder towards her bedroom. I could see the man that attacked her lying on the floor. I placed my hands on her upper arms to keep her attention and asked, "Did you search him already?"

She sighed audibly. I could tell she was in pain, "Yes and I found nothing. No ID, phone or wallet. I missed my appointment with Burnell. I can only think someone was up on his phone and heard our conversation."

I agreed, "I came to the same conclusion. We should have known better."

Tamsin pulled away from me in frustration and raised her voice as best she could considering the damage done, "No shit. Brunell is a means to an end for these fuckers. Of course they would be monitoring him."

She was getting angry and I wanted to calm her down. Anger would only lead to clouded thinking and I needed her clear minded, "Tamsin we fucked up but so have they. We just need step back before doing anything else and think it through before acting."

She turned on me and started to speak but was cut off by a knock at the door. I put my hand up to stop her from answering the door, "Let me check. It may be my guy here to take care of this problem."

"Go ahead." She flopped down on the couch and watched me.

I checked the peephole and turned to Tamsin, "It's him." I opened the door and stepped aside to allow the man to enter.

After he was inside I closed and locked the door. He pulled me aside after seeing Tamsin on the couch, "Who is this woman. I don't know her and you bring me here?"

I closed my eyes and tried to relax. I was losing patience. Lauren was upset at me, Tamsin was angry and my contact was questioning me. "Syad she is with me. I promise you nothing leaves this room. Here is your money. Can you take care of this or not?"

He looked over at Tamsin then back at me taking the bag, "Yes I can take care of this."

"Thank you. The body is in the bedroom over there," I pointed in the direction he needed to go, "we will leave you to it. Be aware that it is possible others may show up before you are done."

"Do not worry." With that he walked into the bedroom leaving me and Tamsin alone. I knew if anyone else showed up Syad would be able to dispatch of them as well.

"Come on Tamsin. Let's go." I wanted to leave before our luck failed us further and we had another attack to attend with. I walked to the door and grabbed her stuff unlocking and opening the door. She pulled herself up and followed me out.

When we got back to the truck Tamsin climbed into the backseat while I fastened my seatbelt.

I glanced over at Lauren but she seemed to be watching our surroundings intently and didn't notice my attention directed towards her. I knew now was not the time to dwell on what might be bothering her.

As I pulled away from the curb Tamsin asked, "How did you meet that guy Bo?"

I felt Lauren's eyes on me as well as Tamsin, "He used to work for the Millî İstihbarat Teşkilatı. A few years ago I was working in Turkey and our paths crossed. I needed information and he wanted out of the organization. I helped him leave Turkey and enter the states as a citizen with a new start in exchange for what I needed to know. I kept him among one of my contacts. Which came of use today."

My phone rang and I looked at the display and saw that it was Kenzi. I answered by hitting the hands free option so the call would go over the speakers in the truck.

"Hey Kenz. I have you on speaker. Tamsin is alright. We are on our way back. What's up?"

"Hurry up. There is some movement on the laptop. This Katie woman is uploading some super-secret shit to someone I haven't been able to trace and is looking at things things like sniper rifle specs and the layout for the Walter E. Washington Convention Center."

I gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white and my hands started to hurt. It seems we were too late in stopping the flow of information between the unwitting Secret Service agent and RNC. "Copy everything you see and try to find where that information is being uploaded to. We will be there soon."

I disconnected the call and we drove the rest of the way back to the house in silence.

Lauren POV

When we pulled into the driveway Bo barely had the truck in park before Tamsin had her door open to get out of the backseat.

She entered the house first while Bo and I followed. I couldn't stop thinking about the actions and reactions from all sides of this situation. For every step we took forward we took another step back and it seemed the same was occurring for the people we were up against. It was unnerving. We were trying to stay ahead while anticipating the others move without having the full scope of what we were dealing with. Both Tamsin and Hale were targeted and attacked and were no longer safe in their homes. Bo and Tamsin had taken lives and were paying someone to clean up the mess. There was nothing that could have prepared me for what we were doing but I was never more motivated to stop it than I was now. It broke my heart that Bo was scrambling to keep things from imploding all around us. I hated what happened to Tamsin and Hale. I haven't known these people long but I truly considered them friends and the thought of any harm coming our way weighed heavy on me.

I felt we were missing a piece of the puzzle. Why did this group of people want the President dead? Why were they so willing to allow a volatile country to continue its nuclear arms program in exchange for oil? That was what really didn't click in my mind. There had to be a reason they wanted cheap oil from another country. I just hadn't put it together yet and it bothered me more that I was willing to admit to the others. I was determined to figure out the reasoning – the motive – behind all of this.

I turned my attention to Kenzi who was showing everyone what she accessed from the woman's computer.

"See guys here are all the things she pulled up on her computer. Sniper rifle specs, electronic correspondence with that Alexei Yevdokimov guy and a convoluted money trail. She didn't upload this stuff that I am showing you now so I am assuming these are the things that she will be planting on the agent's laptop to make him look like the fall guy."

Tamsin started to speak but then hit Bo in the arm who seemingly spoke whatever Tamsin was trying to say, "That would be our guess as well Kenz. They apparently set up an extensive trail of damning evidence to use on Burnell. Though only an idiot would use their government issued laptop to plan an assassination but that doesn't really matter now. The information is most likely on there now so he is essentially their fall guy. We need to get to him and try to stop this. Did you pick up anything from the listening devices I placed in the study and bedroom?"

Kenzi shook her head, "Nope. I heard male and female voices but nothing that I could make out clearly. Here let me show you what this woman did upload. This is the main route the Secret Service motorcade will be using on Monday to escort the President to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center where he will be speaking about Criminal Justice Reform at three in the afternoon. Here is the route the motorcade will take to leave the convention center. Here is the information on agent locations inside the center and around the building along with local laws enforcement placements that sets up a type of perimeter. It details response times and action plans. This also shows all the exits for the center and which one would be used as the primary exit along with alternate exits that are in place in case of an incident."

I studied the information Kenzi had pulled up while she was explaining it to us. I came to only one conclusion, "I think the guy that was hired to do this will try to hit the President one of three ways. When he enters or leaves the building or while he is inside giving his speech."

Bo smile at me softly and added to my assessment, "I agree completely. Those are the times the President is most vulnerable and out in the open. There is no way this hit man would try for the President while he is being escorted by the motorcade. Not only is the Presidential limo armored among other things there is a USSS Electronic Countermeasure vehicle, most likely a suburban, that trails the limo. This vehicle is used to counter guided attacks, such as IEDs, RPGs, and Anti-Tank Guided Missiles. It also has two dome-shaped EW sensors. These sensors are most likely Millimeter-Wave radars used to detect the launch of an RPG, ATGM or a laser range finder illumination. If a launch or a laser range finder illumination is detected, the system most likely triggers a salvo of Infrared Smoke grenades launched from the vehicle and the Presidential limo to provide both a visual smoke screen and to act as an obscurant for IR and radar guided attacks."

I watched as Kenzi's eyes widened and her mouth dropped, "How the fuck do you know that Bo?"

Bo gave her a knowing smile and said, "That isn't classified information and it is only the stuff we know about. Let's just say it is a rolling fortress. So my thinking is that we need to stop the motorcade before it ever reaches the convention center. Anyone else agree or have any thoughts?"

I was impressed with her knowledge and I had no objections, "I agree. We need to somehow deter the motorcade from ever arriving at its destination. If we can't reach out or convince Agent Burnell that there is a problem we can try to warn the Secret Service some other way and if that doesn't work then the motorcade needs to be stopped in route but I am not sure how to do that."

Tamsin with a bit of difficulty chimed in, "We have no idea who this hired gun is, only that he is a part of Alexei Yevdokimov's network. We don't have time to figure out who or where he is or how he is going to try to pull this off. He will probably strike at the center so yeah I think we need to keep the President from ever arriving there. We need to create a perceived threat along the motorcade route. This will send them into alert and cancel the event at the center."

I was taken aback by Tamsin's suggestion. I wanted her to try and reach out to Agent Burnell or even exhaust other means before ever trying to set something up that would be considered a threat to the President – real or not.

I voiced my concern, "Before we start planning fake assassination attempts on the President why don't you try and reach out to Agent Burnell again? If that doesn't work we can try another tactic to warn the Secret Service that there is a threat. Even though we didn't stop the information from leaking out we can still try to talk to the man and see what he can do from his end. The Secret Service can then plan accordingly and also possibly root out the man that will make the attempt. Take it one step further and this could lead to an investigation into Katie McMann and by extension RNC. That would be a huge blow to their operation. RNC seems to be the group that is moving the pieces right now."

Tamsin scoffed and threw her arms up in what I could only guess was exasperation. I didn't understand why she was so irritated and it upset me.

Bo stepped up to Tamsin and grabbed her arm turning her back around to face us, "Tamsin what is the problem? I agree completely with Lauren –"

Tamsin interrupted, "Of course you would agree with her Bo!"

I could feel the anger roll off of Bo when she shot back, "That has nothing to do with this and I resent what you're implying! Listen to me. We were just talking earlier about how we fucked up and that we needed to take a step back and think things through before taking action. That is what we need to do here or we are going to keep making mistakes. Can you try to reach out to Burnell and the proper channels before we make other plans?"

I watched as all the fight and fire left Tamsin when she admitted, "Yes. You're right. I'm sorry guys. Just a long day and I am tired and upset about what happened earlier. I don't think reaching out to Burnell right now is wise as he is probably at Katie's house. I will call him first thing in the morning to try and meet with him again. I mean the evidence that there is something amiss is bruised all over my face and neck. Finding a way to stop the motorcade ourselves on Monday will be last resort. I am just worried. We have less than two days."

Bo let go of Tamsin's arm and spoke to her without the edge in her voice, "Thank you Tamsin. I think this is the best approach. Get some rest. It has been a horribly long and eventful day. I am going to take Lauren home. We good?"

"Yeah we're good. Good night everyone." Tamsin said with a small wave before she disappeared down the hall with her things in tow.

Kenzi pulled our attention, "Wow that was intense."

Bo laughed, "Everyone is tired and on edge right now. It can bring the worst out sometimes," she turned to me, "I am going to check on Hale and then we can leave."

I followed her into the kitchen and saw that Hale was awake. Bo grabbed his hand and held on to it, "How much of all that did you hear?"

He responded, "Enough to get a broad idea of what is going on. You are in it deep this time my friend."

She laughed, "No shit Hale. I'm sorry if we woke you. Is there anything you need before I go?"

"No I am good and if I need anything I have Kenzi at my beck and call." He winked at Bo.

She glared at him playfully, "Do you have a thing for my sister Hale?"

I laughed when Hale responded, "Hey I like her. She is smart, honest and sassy. I like that combination. Besides I am not the only one am I Bo?"

I could see Bo blush before she countered, "I have no idea what you mean Hale."

He laughed and then groaned before putting his hand over his stomach, "Oh don't make me laugh it hurts and don't insult my skills of deduction. In the short time I have been here and awake with you and the Senator I can see from a mile away that you two have eyes for each other."

Bo practically pleaded with him, "Hale maybe we can talk about this some other time maybe?"

He shook his head, "Life is too short. I learned that today so stop being embarrassed. I am happy for you," he turned his attention to me, "and Senator I have never seen her eyes light up the way they do with you around in all the time I have known her."

It was my turn to blush and I gave him a small smile. It warmed my heart to hear that admission coming from someone who has known Bo for so long.

"Hale we are leaving now but tomorrow we are moving you off the table and into a proper bed."

"Oh I can't wait. I am tired of being the fixture on your kitchen table and my back is killing me."

Bo turned to me, "You ready for me to take you home?"

I had never been more ready, "Yes please."

Bo grabbed my hand and we went into the living room stopping by Kenzi's desk, "Keep an eye on Hale and call me if you need anything."

Kenzi smirked, "You talk like you aren't coming home tonight Bo."

Bo stammered, "I I I never said that!" I thought it was adorable how flustered she was in that moment.

Kenzi laughed and mocked, "Sure you didn't BoBo. See you when I see you."

Bo shook her head and hooked her finger through my belt loop as we left the house. Once we were on the road Bo broke the silence, "Lauren did I do something to upset you? You seemed upset with me earlier when we were at Tamsin's."

I didn't realize she thought that and I instantly went to alleviate her fears, "No no of course not. I was, well still am perplexed about this whole situation. I know we are missing something here. I mean there has to be a reason behind it all but I just can't place my finger on it and Bo I also know that you want to get away from doing the things you have had to do in the past and seeing that that hasn't happened yet does bother me but not in the way you think."

"What do you mean Lauren?" She glanced at me but kept her attention on the road. I could hear the curiosity in her voice.

"I want you to find that peace you seem to be searching for and until this is done I don't think you will find it and I wish there was some way I could help you with that." I answered hoping she understood me and my intentions.

Bo remained focused on the road while she spoke softly to me. I had to strain to hear her, "You have given me more than you will ever know. Just in this short time."

I closed my eyes upon hearing her disclosure. I was delighted she felt that way as I felt the same about her. She made me feel alive again and she pulled me out of my comfort zone which excited and thrilled me. I felt safe and protected when I was with her. It was like I was sleepwalking until I met her.

It was my turn to ask a question, "Earlier today in your room I saw your full dress uniform stuffed in the back of your closet. I saw the tag with the name Walker on it. Is that your real surname?"

She glanced at me and smiled, "It is yes. Is this your way of asking me what my real name is? I mean you already know half of it."

I thought about it for a few moments and decided I didn't want to know. I met her as Bo Dennis and that is who she was to me. "No I am not asking. Your name isn't important to me."

We drove the rest of the way in comfortable silence. It was nice to relax in her presence and not worry about finding things to idly fill the air.

We pulled into my driveway and walked to my front door hand in hand. I let her in as I turned off the alarm while shutting the door and locking it for the night.

When she heard the deadbolt click into place she turned to me with a silent question on her lips.

I reset my alarm and walked over to her feeling a sudden bout of nerves hit me, "Stay with me again tonight?"

She smiled, "Of course I will stay."

I laughed nervously and started to ramble a bit, "Are you hungry? You must be hungry I mean it has been a busy day and we have barely eaten a thing all day. I can make you something-"

She effectively cut me off with a kiss. When she pulled back she answered me simply, "I'm not hungry."

I nodded and took her hand leading her back to my bedroom shutting off the living room light along the way.

I let her go as she walked over to side of the bed she slept on the night before. I turned on the corner lamp to allow some dim lighting in the room and watched as she placed her phone, wallet and gun on the nightstand and then sat on the edge of the bed and removed her boots. I realized I was staring and quickly turned to start digging in my drawers for something to wear for each of us.

I felt Bo walk by me and into the bathroom when she called out, "Lauren do you have a first aid kit?"

I closed the drawer I was aimlessly digging through and joined her in the bathroom. I saw that her bandage was in desperate need of changing and I hurried to grab the kit from under the sink.

I pulled her over to the bathtub as I sat on the edge of it digging through the kit. "We need to take better care of that. Hold your shirt up."

Bo did as instructed while I cleaned her wound and changed the bandage. When I was done she dropped her shirt back in place while I put the kit away. When I stood back up Bo pulled me to her and kissed me softly, whispering thank you against my lips. I pulled back and took her hand in mine while I led her back into the bedroom shutting of the bathroom light off as I went.

I turned her around to face me as I walked her backwards until her legs hit the edge of my bed. I leaned in slowly stopping just before our lips met. I could feel her breath against my face. I waited. I wanted her to initiate the next move. I wanted to be sure she wanted me as much as I wanted her in this moment. I would not rush or push if she wasn't ready to be with me.

I didn't have to wait long as Bo closed the distance and kissed me slowly. I placed my arms around her neck as she rested her hands on my waist pulling me closer. Feeling her body so close to mine sparked a need inside me. I bit her bottom lip softly asking permission to deepen the kiss. She moaned and granted me entrance. Feeling her tongue against mine sent waves of desire through my body. I slid my hands down to the hem of her shirt and tugged indicating I wanted it off. She broke the kiss and I pulled her shirt off and tossed it haphazardly on the floor not really caring where it landed. I had seen her without a shirt before but I was focused on her injury then. This time my only focus was her and how beautiful she was. I ran my hands across her stomach and I could feel her muscles tighten under my touch. She kept her hands on my waist and watched me intently. I moved my hands around her back and unclasped her bra bringing my hands up to her shoulders as I slid the straps down her arms running my fingers along with it removing the garment completely. My breath caught at the sight of her. I could feel her shaking and I wasn't sure if it was from anticipation, nervousness or both.

"Beautiful." I whispered as I drank in the sight before me. With trembling hands she bunched up my shirt and pulled it up signaling she wanted it off. I lifted my arms and allowed her to rid me of it as it fell to the floor with the growing pile of discarded clothing. She leaned in and kissed me lightly while she placed a hand against my cheek and the other around my back releasing the clasp of my bra with a flick of her fingers. She leaned back and I allowed the offending obstruction to drop to the floor. Bo reached out and cupped my breasts with her hands ever so lightly. The feel of her hands on me made me shiver and my breath hitch. I reached up and covered her hands with mine and held them there. I reveled in her touch and wanted more. I let go of her hands and pushed her back so she was sitting on the edge of the bed. I straddled her as her hands shot out gripping my hips tightly. She leaned up and kissed me hard. It was full of passion and intention. She broke the kiss as her arms wrapped around me and began kissing and nipping the skin along my jaw and down my neck. I let my head fall back to allow her more access. Her lips traveled lower and she licked and kissed along my collarbone never releasing her hold on me. I moaned and sucked in a fast breath when I felt her mouth on my left breast. I could feel her sucking, biting my nipple so softly and pleasure shot through my body. I forgot how wonderful such a thing could feel. She released my nipple and kissed across my chest taking my other breast into her mouth. She ran her tongue around my nipple before sucking hard and biting softly as her arms held me against her. I reached down and cupped her face pulling her up into a kiss. I let go of her face and pushed against her shoulders. She released her hold on me and I pushed again causing her to lay back on the bed. I looked down at the woman beneath me and knew without a doubt that I wanted to give myself to her completely and take from her in return.

I ran my hands down her chest over her breasts and along her stomach. I loved how her skin felt against mine. How her body responded to my touch. Just a simple touch and her breath left her body. I leaned down and laid flush against her bringing my lips to hers. We both moaned at the feel of our bare skin touching and our breasts pressed together. Making love to this woman was a gift and we fit together like we were two halves of the same piece finally coming together again. I dragged my lips down her neck lightly biting then licking as I went. I could hear her breathing become shallow and see her skin flush with desire as I made my way down. I took her left nipple in my mouth and lavished it with my tongue, alternating between sucking and biting as my hand went to her other nipple taking it between my fingers and squeezing. She arched her back into me and ran her hands into my hair holding my head against her. I released her breast and continued my journey down her body kissing down her stomach until I reached a barrier blocking me from where I wanted to go. I sat up and slid off her body as I unbuttoned her jeans and pulled down the zipper. I could see black lace panties reveal themselves to me. I grabbed her jeans and panties at the same time and pulled as Bo lifted her hips to allow the clothing to slip down her legs. I took them off and dropped them and removed her socks for good measure. I wanted this woman completely naked and now she was. I started to climb back up her body when she sat up and halted my movements while shaking her head. I was confused for a moment until she reached out and started to undo my button and zipper on my jeans as well. Once she had them loose she tugged my jeans down taking my panties with them. I bent down and pulled myself free stepping out of them leaving me completely open and bare for this woman to see. I watched as her eyes ran down the length of my body. I could tell she was holding her breath and my pulse quickened when I saw the look in her eyes. They held such reverence and adoration. In all my life I don't think anyone has ever looked at me the way Bo was looking at me now. In that moment the whole world fell away and it was just us. I moved forward and pushed her back down on the bed as I crawled my way back on top of her.

I nudged her with my hand and she moved back so she was further up on the bed so her legs were no longer hanging over the edge. I settled myself down on her and kissed her. It was slow and sensual. Nothing was hurried or rushed. I moved my hand down to her breast and tweaked her nipple between my fingers. She moaned into my mouth and I could feel how wet I was getting from just the sounds she was making. I moved my hand from her breast and allowed it to travel lower while I broke the kiss and moved my mouth down her neck and to her chest. I kissed between her breasts taking one in my mouth before moving to the other. My wandering hand found its destination and I ran my fingers along the length of her gasping at how wet she was for me. She moaned and bucked her hips as I began to circle her clit with my fingers. I could feel her arousal building as I continued my attention to her breasts and allowed my fingers to continue their movements. I heard her moan out my name softly and I smiled against her. I moved my fingers lower and entered her slowly marveling at how it felt to be inside her. I heard her gasp and release an audible breath as I moved my fingers in and out of her at a steady rhythm. Her hands were tangled in my hair holding me in place as her hips moved and matched my pace. She moaned with each thrust I made with my hand. I could feel her begin to tighten around my fingers and I knew she wasn't far from her release. I sped up my pace as her hands left my hair to clutch at the sheets beneath us. When her hands left me I lifted my head so I could watch her face. She was exquisite, moaning and saying my name as her body was tense and sprawled out beneath me, breathing labored and eyes shut tight. I moved my hand so my palm applied pressure to just the right place as I curled my fingers inside her hitting the perfect spot. She came hard as her hips moved against my hand with her back arched up and her head pressed hard against the bed. She was absolutely radiant. Her hands grasped the sheets until her knuckles were white and I watched her face as she moaned out the pleasure I was giving her. I slowed my pace as I felt her body start to relax. Her hands released the sheets and her breathing started to even out. I removed my hand from her and crawled up to hold her against me. I threw my leg across hers and wrapped my arm around her keeping her close to me while I laid my head between her neck and shoulder. She laid her hand on my arm and I felt her body tense for a moment. I looked up at her and saw tears. I panicked that maybe I hurt her or she regretted what we did. As if sensing my distress she kissed my forehead and said, "They are happy tears Lauren. I'm happy."

I exhaled the breath I didn't realize I was holding and dropped my head back down. I understood the reaction. After a moment Bo placed her right hand on my waist and rolled us both so she was now on top of me. She looked down at me and peppered my face with light kisses. When she was done she gave me a wide smile that revealed a dimple that I found both sexy and adorable. She whispered my name before smashing our lips together in a hungry passionate kiss that took my breath away. The need for air broke the kiss but it did not slow Bo's investigation of my body. She kissed along my jaw until she reached the sensitive spot under my ear that made me gasp and tighten my hold on her. I felt her smile against my skin as she began licking down my neck until she found my pulse point and sucked the spot until I knew there would be a mark. The sensations she was causing made my head swim. I couldn't form a coherent thought and I let myself go and relax as this woman worshiped my body. She pulled my right nipple with her teeth before sucking it into her mouth and teasing it with her tongue. I gasp at the feeling and I was practically panting. She moved to my other breast and gave it the same amount of attention. She move back and forth between them for what seems like hours until my body started too writhe beneath her and I let out a whimper. My hips moved on their own searching out contact to relieve the ache I felt.

As if sensing my need she moved her body lower and continued to kiss along my stomach, waist and up and down my sides. She nipped the spot above my left hip and it caused me to call out her name which seemed to please Bo since she continued nip and lick the spot until I placed a hand on her head urging her lower. She moved further down and placed kisses on the inside of my thighs as her hands pushed my legs to open wider. She looked up at me and I could see nothing but tenderness, warmth and intimacy in her eyes. Bo hooked her left arm under my leg and reached up to cup and lightly massage my breast as she lowered her head and licked the length of me. I couldn't stop the moan that escaped my lips as she did this a second time and then a third.

She moaned then whispered, "You are so wet. I love the way you taste Lauren."

She took her right hand and entered me with two fingers and started an agonizingly slow pace before she took my clit into her mouth and alternated between sucking and licking while moving her fingers in and out of me speeding up her pace a little more with each pass. My hips moved against her matching her pace. The pleasure coursing through my body was almost unbearable. I needed my release but I didn't want this feeling to stop. I could feel my body tense as Bo brought me closer to the edge. She started to suck my clit harder as her fingers curled inside of me. I ran my fingers through her hair and grabbed her head so she could not move. Not that I thought she would. She swirled her tongue around my clit and with one last thrust of her fingers I came hard moaning with pleasure as I lost my breath with her name on my lips. My back arched off the bed and my hips moved against her as my body succumbed to the intense feelings coursing through it. She slowed her movements but did not stop as she helped prolong my pleasure. I started to relax as my release was ending when Bo let go of my breast with her left hand to bring her arm down to hold my hips in place. She started to thrust in and out of me again with speed and pulled my clit into her mouth running her tongue around it until I came again seconds later. As my orgasm started to subside she released her hold on my hips and removed her fingers from inside me. She lifted her head and put her fingers in her mouth cleaning off the product of our love making.

Bo kissed her way back up my body and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. I could taste myself on her and I smiled as she cuddled into my side resting her head on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close to me. I kissed the top of her head as I sighed. I had never had anyone make love to me like that before. Not that I had a lot to compare it to but the feelings Bo invoked in me were like nothing I had ever experienced before and in that moment I knew I could never go back to the way I was before I met her.

I knew tomorrow held a brand new set of problems but tonight it was just me and her and I was going to enjoy it while it lasted.

I drew her closer to me and whispered, "Good night Bo."

She kissed my chest and squeezed me tight, "Good night to you Lauren."


	12. Chapter 12

AN: Sorry for the length of time between updates. Someone rear ended my Jeep so I have been dealing with that. We got a new hire at work so it has been busy training him and keeping up with the work load. I also lost my flash drive that had my entire story on it along with story and plot notes and outline. So unless I find the drive I am writing the rest of this from scratch. Thank you everyone for all the support! I hope to update the rest of the story every 7 - 10 days going forward. Not sure about this chapter so let me know what you think! Thank!

Bo POV

For the first time in a long time I woke up feeling rested. I didn't remember falling asleep or having the haunting dreams that plagued me on almost a nightly basis. I slept through the night and a sense of peace washed over me. Sunlight was filtering into the bedroom through the window and pulled me from my sleep. It took me a moment to realize where I was but then last night's events came rushing back to me at an overwhelming pace and I could not help but smile. I looked over to my left and saw Lauren cuddled against me with her arm around my waist and her face buried against my neck. I had her wrapped up in my arms and in this moment there was no other place I would rather be. Her warmth radiated around me and feeling her skin against mine was breathtaking. Sometime…somehow we ended up under the sheets during the night as I vaguely remembered we never made it that far when we became engrossed in each other. I ran my fingers lightly up and down her back as I listened to her steady breathing against my ear. I loved that she slept so peacefully with me lying beside her. I let my mind drift back to last night and the mere thought of it caused my desire to grow. I wanted to make love to Lauren again and again as I gave myself to her and her to me without hesitation. The passion between us was undeniable and all consuming. It was something I had never experienced before with another person, the intense connection between us and I already knew that she was it for me.

I was pulled from my thoughts when she stirred beside me. I looked over at her and watched as her eyes fluttered open. She gazed at me and smiled a sleepy smile and whispered, "Good morning."

I kissed her forehead and responded, "Morning." She rolled away on to her side facing me and I mirrored her keeping my hand on her hip. I wanted to have some sort of physical contact with her.

We laid there and just stared at each other for an amount of time that I did not know. It seemed time melted away along with the rest of the world. It was an exhilarating feeling being wrapped up in the sheets with this woman who looked at me like I was the only person in the world. I felt a jolt in my gut that spread a need through me to be the woman that Lauren deserved. A need to end this awful situation we found ourselves in and pull myself up to be the woman I should have been but wasn't though I knew I could be if I tried.

Though I haven't voiced it to the others, I knew I was going to have to answer for dropping off the agency's radar. A field operative does not disappear without consequences. I knew the Station Chiefs were looking into it at the moment but it wouldn't be long before my absence was noted to the director – one of the men we were investigating. The agency had every piece of information they could possibly have on the "real" me. My real name along with my foster parent's name and address, my social security number, date of birth, my military record, Kenzi's address and the fact that I lived with her when I was in DC. The CIA would start turning over rocks in an attempt to find me. I was lost at what I wanted to do with the rest of my life but I did know that I did not want to continue as I was before. I did not want to be a field operative and continue on like before as if nothing happened. I couldn't just walk away from the possibilities of a different life. The possibilities I had with Lauren. Despite these things I knew at the end of this I would have to walk into Langley and turn myself over. I was in the dark as to what would happen from there but at least I would be starting again with a clean slate – in some capacity.

Lauren ran her thumb across my brow and smirked, "I can hear you thinking. Why so serious?"

I didn't want to dampen the mood with my musings about the future, "Just thinking about you." I laughed nervously. As soon as those words left my mouth I was embarrassed. It had sounded so awkward.

She didn't seem to notice or if she did she didn't care. She moved a little closer to me and I could hear the playful tone in her voice, "And what thoughts would those be?"

I pulled her against me and answered, "That I'm happy to be here with you Lauren and as for the rest….why don't I show you?"

I leaned in and kissed her but before I could deepen the kiss my phone rang on the night stand. I groaned and pulled away to answer it while Lauren buried her face in the pillow. I knew I couldn't ignore the call but it took everything I had to push down my desire to take her and damn the consequences.

I grabbed my cell and saw it was Kenzi calling. I glanced at the clock on Lauren's side of the bed and it was about five in the morning. I knew Kenzi wouldn't be calling this early if it wasn't important and in that moment the world crashed down again and the bubble I was in with Lauren was gone.

Lauren watched me with curious eyes as I answered, "Kenz what's up? It is early so I know it isn't good."

I listened to Kenzi as she recounted the reason for her call. After a few minutes I hung up the phone and dropped it on the bed. I could feel Lauren's eyes on me as I let out a sigh and dropped my head in my hands. I knew she wanted to ask me what the call was about but seemed hesitant to speak her questions.

I gathered my thoughts and met her unwavering gaze that was so full of concern and fear, "Kenzi was up checking on Hale earlier this morning when she heard two gunshots over the listening devices I planted at McMann's house. Tamsin is on her way over there to try and figure out what happened. We need to head over to the safe house."

She nodded but didn't push the subject. She stood up and grabbed my hand, "Lets shower and get over there then." I let her take my hand and pull me up as she maintained her grip on me while she led us into the bathroom.

My mind was swirling with thoughts on what Kenzi just shared. I was trying to run down scenarios as to why shots would be fired at that house. I knew it couldn't be a random act and a feeling of dread weighed down on me. I felt like we were thrown back into darkness trying to play catch up and scrambling for Intel.

I was so lost in thought that I didn't even realize Lauren had laid out fresh towels and started the shower until she whispered my name and urged me to follow her. We both got in and the heat from the water was refreshing and some of the tension left my body the longer I stood under the spray. I looked at Lauren and despite the new set of problems that now invaded my mind I couldn't help but admire the woman standing in front of me. She was truly the most beautiful woman I had ever seen and I wanted nothing more than to explore her body further here and now. I wanted to revisit our night together. I wasn't ready to leave this place and face the world again. Lauren's touch pulled emotions from me that I had long forgotten and it had almost brought me to tears the way she made love to me. It had been so long since another person had touched me that way and I longed for it again. I quickly shook my head to refocus myself as well as taper down my building arousal that was growing inside of me the longer I stood naked with Lauren in the shower.

I washed my hair while Lauren washed her body and then we switched which allowed us to finish in about ten minutes cutting the time to shower in half if we had done so separately. Lauren searched her closet for something to wear as I changed back into my clothes from yesterday after re-bandaging the wound on my side. As Lauren was hanging the wet towels up to dry we decided to eat breakfast at the house so we could get there as soon as possible.

After checking to ensure we both had everything we needed before we left we walked hand in hand to my truck and headed to our destination.

Tamsin POV

The sun had not even come up yet and I was in the car and on my way to a potential crime scene. I didn't mind being the one sent to investigate the gun fire that sounded over the bugs planted in the house. I knew Bo had spent the night with Lauren and I was overjoyed they had found each other. Overjoyed but a little jealous if I was being honest with myself. Anyone who saw them together would be able to see they were forming something special and I missed that in my life. I had that with Dyson. At least I thought I did. He and I were only involved for a little over a month but it didn't feel that way. Time didn't matter when I was with him. He was charming and handsome. Intelligent and funny. When he wanted to be he was the most sensitive man I had ever been with. He always made me feel like I was the only woman in the world for him and it all happened in such a short time. I thought I found the one until that night when he lashed out at me. That was a side of Dyson I had never seen before – a side I didn't know existed. After that everything broke and we were done. I had not been in a serious relationship since Dyson and I thought I preferred it that way - opting for my one night stands and flings. It was easy and safe but I wasn't sure I wanted safe anymore.

I broke out of my thoughts as I came upon the street McMann's house was located on. The drive here was faster than I anticipated due to the lack of traffic this early in the morning. As I turned down the street I could see emergency vehicles with lights flashing. There were police and EMS on the scene. I pulled up closer and parked my car along the curb. Neighbors and passerbys were standing in the street trying to get a better view, straining against the police tape that had been put up around the perimeter of the house. I gently pushed my way to the front of the group and I saw DC Metro detectives standing on the lawn and officers interviewing a few people off to the side. They may have been the neighbors that reported the shots fired and called it in. The officers would probably end up questioning all neighbors surrounding this house to try and find any witnesses and put together a timeline of events.

I leaned over to the gentleman standing next to me and asked if he knew what happened. I wanted to see what I could pick up from the crowd. All he could tell me was that it seemed like two people inside the house were shot. I overheard others around me speculating and coming up with different scenarios which did not help me. There wasn't much real information and what was being said around me could very well be inaccurate. I needed more to go on so I stood, waited and watched.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed but eventually I saw the medical examiner exit the house followed by crime scene investigators as they removed two bodies from the premises. They were covered and I assumed it was Katie McMann and Colin Burnell but I was never one to go on assumptions alone. Assumptions got people killed in my line of work. I knew I couldn't question the detectives about the scene and get a straight answer so I decided Kenzi was probably the best person to turn to in order to find out what happened as she could hack her way into any case and evidence file. I knew DC Metro had jurisdiction at the moment and would have a basic case write up that she could access with ease.

I wiggled myself out of the crowd and went back to my car. I called Kenzi and gave her a heads up as I pulled away from the curb and exited the neighborhood.

Lauren POV

Kenzi had just hung up with Tamsin and she was on her way back here. Kenzi gave Bo and me the highlights of what Tamsin found but she wanted to get started on hacking in and collecting the information from DC Metro so we were going to wait for Tamsin to fill in the blanks for us. We had just finished breakfast and Bo was off changing out of the clothes that she wore yesterday.

I wanted to check on Hale and see how he was feeling, "Hale, how are you doing?"

He flashed me the sweetest smile, "I'm doing ok. Sore but ok. Can't wait to move to an actual bed. Kenzi has been taking great care of me."

I had my suspicions that the woman was interested in Hale and I was beginning to think that the feeling was mutual. I thought they would make a wonderful couple if everything worked out and I hoped they got the chance to explore it.

Bo came back into the room and I couldn't suppress my smile at the sight of her. My mind flashed back to our night together and I could feel myself blushing. I wanted more time with her. Time outside of this mess where we could continue to learn about each other and figure out this relationship. I realized we hadn't really defined what we are to each other. We weren't really dating since we haven't actually gone out on any dates. I knew or at least I felt we were more than just a night of sexual indulgence. I didn't want to presume to call her my girlfriend but it was what I wanted. If we were going to do this I wanted the both of us all in.

Bo put her arm around my waist and pulled me close as she came into the kitchen and said, "Hale, you ready to move to an actual bed? I know Vince said we could move you today. I think he wanted to wait until he checked on you again before giving the ok to get you on your feet and walking around a bit."

He laughed nervously, "Uh I am ready to get off this table."

Bo tilted her head to the right a bit as if she was curious about something, "Hale I know that laugh. What did you do or should I say what did Kenzi do?"

He sighed and looked at Bo with pleading eyes, "It isn't her fault so don't blame her but I have already been up with Kenzi's help."

Bo let go of my waist and turned towards the living room, "Kenzi! You moved Hale from this table? Why would you do that? You're tiny! What if supporting his weight was too much for you?"

Kenzi rolled her chair over so she could better look into the kitchen, "Yes I moved him. I may be tiny but I am super strong and you weren't here. He needed to go to the bathroom. What was I supposed to do?"

Bo relented though she still seemed worried, "Fine. I get it. I appreciate the help Kenz."

Bo turned back to Hale, "Lauren and I can go ahead and move you to a bedroom. When Tamsin gets here she can call Vince and have him come by and check on you. He won't be happy about the early morning phone call but I would feel better to have him make sure you are alright."

Bo looked at me for confirmation and I nodded that I would help. We sat Hale up and helped slide him off the table with me on one side of him and Bo on the other. We slowly walked him out of the kitchen to the hallway that led off to the bedrooms and Bo indicated which room was empty and ready for him to occupy. Bo and I took most of Hale's weight was we shuffled into the bedroom and carefully sat him down in a sitting position before helping him lay back.

I asked, "You feeling ok? Not too much pain?"

He gave me an appreciative smile and said, "Again I am sore but feel fine and laying here is so much better than that table. Thank you ladies."

I smiled and gave him a slight nod and Bo said, "Get some rest. We will get Vince here soon."

With that Bo grabbed my hand and interlaced our fingers as we left Hale and headed back to the living room. Bo looked over at me, "You want to sit while we wait?" I pulled her with me over to the couch and I sat down bringing her down with me.

As soon as we were settled Tamsin came barreling into the house through the front door.

"Oh good. Everyone is here." Tamsin voiced as she went into the kitchen. We watched as she stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Where the hell did Hale go?"

I volunteered the information, "Bo and I moved him into the bedroom."

Bo followed up, "Can you call Vince and get him here to check on him?"

Tamsin turned back around and called out, "Yeah I'll call him while I grab something to eat." She then disappeared into the kitchen and we could hear her making the call.

Bo lifted our entwined hands and kissed my knuckles as she looked at me with bright and intense eyes.

She whispered to me, "I wish we had more time this morning. More time to just be together before this all caught up with us again. Can we talk later?"

I could feel my heart start to race at her words and I let out an audible breath, "Me too. Of course we can talk later. "

My mind went into overdrive analyzing every possible subject Bo could want to talk to me about. I didn't think it was anything bad considering her words but I still felt anxious.

Tamsin walked back into the living room and dropped herself onto the recliner with a bowl of cereal almost as big as Kenzi usually eats.

Tamsin directed her statement to Bo, "Vince will be here in about a half hour."

She took a massive bite as Bo spoke, "So what did you gleam from the crime scene?"

Tamsin set her bowl down on the coffee table, "When I arrived the police where already on site and had cordoned off the area. I slipped into the crowd of onlookers but didn't really get much information except that it seemed two people inside the house were shot. I waited and saw the medical examiner and CSI remove two bodies from the home. Don't know who they were or what happened so I called Kenzi to see if she could get in the back way and access DC Metro's files on the case."

Kenzi raised her hand and spoke while still staring at her computer screens, "And I have. I am in. Case 20911576. Not much here yet. Probably still getting things entered into their system. Ahh…..two victims are Colin Burnell and Katie McMann. Investigation ongoing….initial theory is murder/suicide. Colin Burnell shot and killed Katie McMann and then turned the gun on himself."

Kenzi turned around, "Murder/suicide? That doesn't make any sense. The dude was head over heels for the woman. She was totally using him but hey….do you think he figured it out and went off?"

Bo rested her head on the back of the couch and stared at the ceiling, "It is possible Kenz or RNC sent someone in to clean house and set the scene to look like that is what happened. Did you listen to the overnight recordings for the bugs I planted? Was anything recorded prior to the shots being fired?"

"I listened BoBo but other than hearing the two of them in bed together – something I will never unhear – there was nothing until the two shots were fired."

I chimed in, "If Colin figured out that Katie was accessing confidential information and planting damning evidence on his laptop to set him up then I would think we would have heard arguing prior to the incident."

Tamsin responded as she got up to take her empty cereal bowl back into the kitchen, "I agree. It is more likely that RNC sent a fixer or cleaner over to the house and took care of them both. Since they knew I was trying to contact Burnell, they probably didn't want to risk me getting his attention."

Bo replied as she continued to stare at the ceiling, "RNC did this. I know it. I can feel it in my gut. Burnell didn't do this. We would have heard it on the overnight recording. Hansen is cleaning up where he can now that he knows there is some unwanted attention focused his way. I mean first Lauren points out the budget discrepancies, then Tamsin tries to contact Burnell and being an NSA analyst that has got to raise questions on what you know and how. Then I killed Kagen and the two men sent to take care of Tamsin and Hale never reported back and have disappeared thanks to Syad. RNC or better yet Hansen knows someone is digging into this."

Bo had a point, "I think you're right Bo. We haven't exactly treaded lightly. Kenzi what did they log into evidence? Can you access that?"

"Sure can Hotpants. One sec…..ok they logged a Smith and Wesson 38 Special. Two laptops. Burnell's service weapon, and a wallet so far. There is probably going to be more."

"Thanks Kenzi. The police have probably already figured out Burnell is a Secret Service agent. The Secret Service will probably latch on this investigation especially since Burnell was on the Presidential detail." I stated as I bumped Bo with my elbow to get her back to the here and now. She had such a faraway look on her face.

She squeezed my hand in reassurance and asked, "Tamsin, Lauren, do either of you know anyone in the Secret Service that you can call on? I know I don't but if either of you do then maybe you could reach out and have them grab Burnell's laptop from police evidence and have them check it out? It has a fabricated set up regarding the assassination plot. I hate smearing a good agent's name as we know he is innocent but we are running out of time. We need to keep the President away from that convention center tomorrow. Maybe what McMann planted on the laptop will be enough to show there is a real threat if we can get it into the right hands."

I looked at Tamsin and shook my head. I didn't know anyone in that branch of service and I hoped that she did. It sounded like the best plan so far.

Tamsin grinned at me and said, "I know one guy. He's an asshole and can't keep his hands to himself but I can reach out to him. He isn't high up in the ranks but he could get the information to where it needs to go. I hate throwing Burnell under the bus like this but it is a good idea. Maybe we can clear his name once this shit is all said and done. I'll go call him."

Tamsin got up and left the room. I assumed she was going back to her bedroom to make the necessary calls. There was a knock on the door and I felt Bo flinch and tense up next to me.

Kenzi said in a sing-song voice, "I got it. I got it." She looked through the peephole and through the front window to check who it was and then opened the door and let Vince inside.

Vince looked at each of us with annoyance, "Who moved my patient?"

Bo and I stood up as Kenzi answered in a snarky tone while getting situated back at her desk, "I did and then Bo and Lauren moved him to the first bedroom down the hall. He needed to go to the restroom so I helped him. He was laying on a damn wooden kitchen table. Not a hospital bed. What did you expect me to do?"

Vince mumbled something that I didn't understand and Bo motioned for him to follow her as she led him back to where Hale was resting.

I walked around the coffee table and leaned against the desk where Kenzi was sitting. I really liked her and wanted to get to know her better especially since she was Bo' sister.

I asked the first question that had been burning at the back of my mind, "Why do you call me Hotpants? What does that even mean?"

Kenzi looked up at me with a mischievous look on her face and answered with a knowing smirk, "Because your ass looks hot in pants. Simple really. If you don't believe me ask BoBo. She knows."

I was able to stifle my laughter but I couldn't stop the blush from coloring my cheeks and creeping up my neck. The room suddenly got very warm and Kenzi just kept looking at me intently as if studying my reaction.

"I'll take your word for it." It was my turn for a little pay back, "So you and Hale….?" I let the sentence drift off.

Kenzi's smirk disappeared and she suddenly found something on her computer screen very interesting.

"What about me and Hale? No idea what you're talking about."

I nudged her shoulder, "I haven't seen much interaction between the two of you but I can see how you look at him and I can also see how he lights up when he mentions your name."

Kenzi lit up at my revelation, "Really? Ok fine I like him. He is handsome with a smoking hot body and fine ass abs and he is such a gentleman. Think BoBo will be pissed?"

I shook my head, "I doubt it. I am sure she wants her sister and her good friend to be happy."

Kenzi and I both jumped when we heard Vince and Bo reenter the living room. I turned my attention to them to see what the prognosis was.

"Thanks Vince for coming by and so early." Bo said as she placed her hand on his shoulder and was guiding him to the front door.

Vince gruffly replied, "No problem. Any issues come up, call me." He nodded his head at me and Kenzi and then left the house.

I was eager to hear the news, "So what did he say?"

Bo looked at me and Kenzi and reported, "Hale is doing just fine. Better than expected considering it is still such a fresh injury. With assistance he can walk to and from the bathroom and then as he heals more his movements won't be so restricted. We just need to keep changing the bandages as we have been. Well as Kenzi has been mostly." Bo smiled at her in thanks.

Kenzi bounced up and down in her seat, "I don't mind helping him BoBo. I am here more than any of you so I can take on that responsibility."

Bo raised her eyebrow as she took my hand and led me back to the couch and responded to Kenzi, "That's fine Kenz. Thanks for all the help."

Kenzi just squealed and turned back around so her back was to us. We sat down again on the couch and Bo leaned over to me, "There is more to that than I know isn't there?"

I just smiled at her and said, "That is between you and Kenzi."

Bo got an expression her face that almost looked like a pout but then she just shook her head, "I will talk to her about it later."

I was about to ask her if she wanted to go talk but Tamsin appeared from around the corner, "I reached my contact. His name is Paul Farrington. I will be meeting him at nine. He is interested in what I might have for him to say the least. So hopefully we can get somewhere with this."

"Good deal Tamsin. Let me know if you need any help." Bo offered.

Tamsin was about to leave when Kenzi threw up her arm again and said, "Wait! I have some info on our guys and how they may know each other and where their paths may have crossed."

She turned around to see if we were paying attention before she proceeded, "All four of them were in the same unit during the First Gulf War. They were in the 3rd Infantry Division. After the war Director Long and Michael Hansen were both CIA analysts assigned to the Middle Eastern desk doing intelligence analysis. Eventually Long started to move up in the ranks and Hansen quit the CIA to start the Rayburn-Northman Corp. VP Hill and his Chief of Staff Mark LaGrone came up in politics together. Christopher Hill started out on the City Council in Richmond Virginia with LaGrone as his campaign manager and advisor. Hill kept climbing the political ladder and dragged LaGrone with him in some capacity or another. Whether as an advisor or manager, LaGrone was always at his side. All four of these guys are currently members of the CXIII Rex members-only cigar club located on King Street. That might be where all four of their paths crossed again and they hatched up this stupid scheme. I can't gain electronic access to anything at CXIII Rex as the club is off the grid electronically. Phones and electronic devices are not allowed inside the Rex either."

Kenzi turned about around to face the room, "Well?"

I couldn't hold back my smile. The woman's enthusiasm was infectious, "Good information Kenzi. That possibly does explains how they are connected well enough to all be a part of this scheme as you put it."

Bo and Tamsin both agreed as well and then Bo asked, "What are we going to do about Hansen? We need to get into his home or office or both. See what we can get our hands on. See what else we can find out. Find some pieces of the puzzle. This bastard is starting to really piss me off because I just know he is the one that ordered the kill on Burnell and McMann. I am tired of him being out of reach."

I could feel Bo's tension and anger. I wanted to comfort and reassure her. I spoke in a soft voice, "We will find a way. I promise. Let's focus on getting this assassination plot stopped or postponed first and then we will focus on the next step."

She sighed and closed her eyes nodding her agreement.

Tamsin moved to the front door and opened it, "I've got to go. Bo don't worry. Lauren is right. If I need anything I will call otherwise just hang out and wait for me." She turned and walked out closing the door behind her.

Kenzi popped up, "I'm going to check on Hale. I can't stare at computer screens anymore." She took off and left the room like it was on fire.

I turned to Bo and brushed her hair out of her face, "Do you want to go have that talk?"

She finally let her beautiful smile show as she stood up and offered me her hands, "Yes."

Tamsin POV

Paul Farrington was a grabby, annoying asshole but he was all I had to work with. Yesterday I was ready to do anything to stop this assassination attempt including but not limited to planting bombs around the convention center as a red herring and then call in a threat. I also thought about planting small directional bombs along the motorcade route and then setting them off as the motorcade passed by causing them to secure the President and effectively keeping him from his intended destination. This idea put people at risk for injury though and I wasn't too keen on that. I was still not opposed to these ideas as last ditch efforts but Lauren was correct in her thinking. We needed to explore this avenue first.

I pulled my car into the small parking lot that led to the park that Paul designated as our meeting spot. The whole thing felt so cloak and dagger but I needed his help and insulting him wouldn't get me anywhere. I could see him setting on a park bench about thirty yards away as I exited my vehicle and headed in that direction.

Paul spotted my approach and stood to greet me.

"Well Tamsin. Long time no see. Come here." He stepped into my personal space and pulled me into a hug. My first instinct was to pull back and punch him but I bit down and returned the embrace awkwardly.

"Yes Paul it has been awhile." I said as he let me go and we both sat down.

He placed his hand on my knee and I moved a bit to get him to let go while he asked, "So what is going on that you need my help? What is so important that the great Tamsin is reaching out to me?"

"Well I have been hearing chatter about an attempt on the President's life at tomorrow's speech at the convention center." I said ignore his sarcastic remark.

"I am not on Presidential detail. Have you alerted them? Why are you coming to me instead of going through proper channels?" He asked as he put his arm up on the back of the bench almost around my shoulders.

Those were valid questions but it still annoyed me that he asked, "I believe there is a leak within the detail so I don't trust the agents assigned. I need someone outside that duty to really look into this for me." It wasn't really a lie per say, Burnell was a leak though unwittingly and I didn't trust that RNC didn't have another agent in their pocket.

"Is there some kind of evidence you can show me? I am not going to touch this just on your say so." He smirked at me while looking at my chest instead of meeting my eyes.

"I'm not sure if you heard yet but Agent Colin Burnell was killed early this morning. His laptop was taken into evidence by DC Metro. I have the case number. Pull the 'this is national security' card and get that laptop out of evidence. It has everything you need to prove there is a real and imminent threat against the President."

His eyes snapped up to my face, "An agent is dead? No I haven't heard about it yet. What the fuck are you pulling me into Tamsin?"

"Oh Paul I promise you'll be fine. I can't guarantee that laptop will stay where it is for long. Go get it. Take it to whomever you need. Just trust me on this and get it done." I didn't have time to waste. Hansen could send someone to try and get that laptop out of evidence. It was loaded with evidence that Brunell was the mastermind behind this attempt but if anyone looked at it before tomorrow it could cause problems. This is what I was trying to do – cause problems. Get the information out early. Hansen may be anticipating my moves.

Paul relented and pulled out a notebook and pen, "Fine. What is the case number?"

I smiled, "20911576." I knew he wouldn't be able to resist.

He wrote the case number down and put it away as he stood up, "I will see what I can do."

As he walked off I stayed on the bench and watched him leave and realized at this point everything was riding on him to succeed.


	13. Chapter 13

AN: It's fanfiction so trust me most of this isn't really realistic in the real world but I hope you all enjoy it regardless. Thank you to all my readers and all the fav/follow/reviews. If there are any questions leave a review or PM me. If something doesn't make sense please let me know so I can clarify it. If you want to see something in the story – let me know! I'm not sure what types of stories people like to read on this site or fandom so let me know what your interests are regarding stories and characters. Fae or human stories – OOC or keeping the characters close to how they are portrayed on the show. I am curious!

Kenzi POV

I peeked around the corner that led into the bedroom to check and see if Hale was awake. As soon as my eyes landed on his he gave me the sweetest smile. He motioned for me to come in so without delay I entered the room and grabbed a chair and moved it over so I could sit by the bed.

"You hungry?" I asked as I leaned forward and drummed my fingers on the edge of the bed.

He stilled my hands and shook his head, "I am just a little tired is all."

I instantly felt guilt at the thought that I was the one keeping him from resting. I moved to get up but he kept hold of my hands.

"Don't leave. I'd rather have some good conversation than try to sleep right now." He motioned for me to sit back down.

I happily agreed to stay. I couldn't believe my sister kept such a fine man secret from me all these years. He was sweet, funny and so laid back. He always offered a smile which added to his charm and he made me laugh. He was unfazed by my quirkiness and even seemed to enjoy it.

"Well you won't find better conversation than from yours truly. How's it feel to no longer grace our kitchen table as a center piece?" I joked wanting to keep the conversation easy though what I really wanted was someone to talk to about the shit we were wading through. I was reluctant to talk to the others. The last thing they needed was to worry about me and how I was handling everything.

He laughed, "I loved being in the middle of the action but laying in a bed again just doesn't compare." He winked.

"Yeah I bet," I hesitated and then continued deciding holding back was never really a character trait of mine, "do you think we can pull this off? I know you have a good idea of what is going on."

He sighed and said, "I do. I don't know the Senator or Tamsin very well but I know your sister and there isn't anything that she can't do when she puts her mind to it. I've seen it. Plus they have you."

I sat up a little straighter and smirked, "My super awesome skills do pretty much save the day and don't tell them but they would be lost without me."

"Yeah I bet but I was referring to what your sister told me. You were pretty much all she talked about back in the military and I can see what she sees."

I leaned back in the chair and let out a breath. I was a bit surprised at what Hale told me and it made me curious, "She talked about me? What did she say?"

Hale chuckled and shook his head as if he was amused by something.

"Of course she talked about you. You are her pride and joy. She talked about how proud she was that you pulled yourself away from a crowd that led you into some trouble. That once you focused on school you excelled and that she couldn't be happier when you were accepted to college. I know she bent over backwards to make sure you got the money to help pay for the tuition. She was thrilled that you found something you really enjoyed and would be able to make a living for yourself doing what you loved. You didn't know any of that did you?"

I was stunned. I was aware she paid for part of my tuition and I knew in a general sense that she was happy for me but it was different to hear this coming from someone that she apparently confided in.

"She told me she was proud but it just feels different hearing it from you. You know she's different now than she used to be. She keeps things to herself like she has to shoulder everything alone and she has a seriousness about her that wasn't there when we were growing up. She used to be this crazy goofball but that is essentially gone. Like something sucked that spark of life out of her. It's always made me a little sad." I looked down and played with the hem of my shirt. When I was with Hale it felt so comfortable. I could confide in him, laugh with him and act like myself without fear that he would judge me.

He reached over and nudged my knee to get my attention, "Hey why so serious and lost in thought?"

I smiled and decided to let thoughts of my sister go for now, "I am going to let you rest but once you are better and we make it past this mess we are in, I am going to allow you the honor of taking me out on a proper date." I raised my eyebrow daring him to say any different.

He laughed hard and then winced, "Oh girl don't make me laugh so hard right now. You got yourself a deal."

"That's what I thought." I stood up and pushed the chair back to the desk across from the bed and turned to leave.

As I was stepping out of the room he called out to me, "Think about maybe talking to your sister. See for yourself what I was talking about and maybe tell her what you told me."

I nodded, "I just might. Get some rest. I will come back around and check up on you. See if you're hungry later."

I closed the bedroom door behind me and leaned my back against it. I asked that fine looking man to take me out. I was determined now more than ever to see our way through this.

Lauren POV

I walked Bo down the hall hand in hand to her bedroom. I dragged her into the room after me and then let her go so I could shut the door for privacy. When I turned around I saw Bo sitting on the edge of the bed leaning over with her elbows on her knees staring at the floor. I moved across the room and sat down beside her.

The silence wasn't uncomfortable but I knew she had something she wanted to talk to me about and I needed to take the opportunity to do that while we had the chance. I leaned over and bumped her with my shoulder to bring her gaze to mine, "You wanted to talk?" I asked softly.

She gave me a small smile and I could see her blush as she averted her eyes. Such as strong, confident, independent woman who was also so shy and insecure at times. I found it endearing.

She finally grabbed my hand and held it in her lap as she spoke, "We were interrupted so abruptly this morning. I wanted more time with you before everything became real again. We haven't known each other for very long but I feel like I have this connection with you. I feel drawn to you and last night was amazing. It was unlike anything I have felt with any other person before. I don't want to push things or scare you away by being too forward too soon. I mean we haven't really gone about this relationship in a conventional way. It's what I want though. A relationship I mean. When this is all over I want a fresh start for myself and then I want to take you out. Take you on a real date and honestly get to know everything there is to know about Lauren Lewis."

I continued to hold her hand tight and I kept my eyes on her even though she wouldn't make eye contact with me, "I want that too Bo. I feel the same way. I can't really describe it but I feel it. I have never had such an instant and intense attraction to anyone like I have to you and yes we have kind of done things backwards so far but I want to pursue this with you. I also haven't forgotten about the date you promised me and I will be calling that in as soon as possible. Is something wrong?"

She glanced at me for a moment and I thought I saw fear before she looked away again and started speaking, "I just wanted to see if we were on the same page and we are," she smiled and continued, "it really does make me happy and when this is finished I want us to start with a clean slate. I don't want anything hanging over our heads."

I was starting to get worried. It seemed like she was leading up to something that I wasn't going to like, "What do you mean?"

She turned so her body was facing me and I mirrored the position so I could see her fully. She took a deep breath and continued, "Well you know the name I'm using isn't mine. The background Kenzi attached to it isn't real. I walked away from my post in Beirut without a word. Kenzi confirmed the section chiefs have been looking into my disappearance but eventually this will come to the director's attention. Ironic I know. We are after him but he will be sending people after me. Anyway what I am saying is that when this is over I will be turning myself over to the agency. I'm not sure what will happen. Considering the circumstances if we can prove them, I don't think I will be in any trouble but there is always a chance. I just wanted to know if you felt the same way I did because if you did then I need a clean start. Do you understand?"

She bit her bottom lip while she waited for my reply, "I don't like it Bo but I understand it. I know you want to start a new life away from the intelligence community. I know you want out of that life and you really can't be if they are looking for you. I won't lie though it scares me."

She wrapped her arms around my waist and pulled me closer, "I don't like it either but when we are finally able to really be together I want to do it the right way. I wouldn't be fair to you any other way. It isn't like I was off selling secrets. I am hoping they will debrief me and let me go."

I leaned forward lying my head on her shoulder, "I get it Bo. I do and I'm glad you told me how you feel and what you intend to do and why. We will make it work." I leaned back again and gave her a reassuring smile even though it was the last thing I felt at the moment. Logically I understood exactly what she wanted and why she wanted it but there was this other part of me that I couldn't describe that hated the thought of her walking away for any reason with the possibility that she might not come back. I wasn't going to turn my back on her because I didn't like the decision she was making. I needed to learn to reconcile that.

I placed my hand behind her neck and brought her lips my own. The kiss was languid but sensual and it caused me to moan quietly when she nipped my bottom lip in a teasing way. I pulled back when I heard the front door of the house open and then slam shut. I could see Bo trying to calm her breathing and when she opened her eyes there was no mistaking the desire that looked back at me.

She sighed and stood up holding her hand out for me. I took it and let her pull me up to a standing position. With one last chaste kiss Bo opened the bedroom door and we went back into the living room.

Kenzi was sitting on the couch eating left over pizza and scolded Tamsin for being so loud while Hale was trying to sleep in the other room.

Tamsin ignored Kenzi and looked over at us, "Well it's done. Now we wait."

I could sense that she was agitated and I was curious as to the reason, "Are you alright Tamsin? Did something happen?"

She muttered something under her breath that I didn't catch and replied, "Yeah I'm fine. I just cannot stand that guy but I do trust him to get the laptop to the proper people without raising red flags as to why he would even have knowledge of it."

Tamsin POV

It had been about six hours since I talked with Paul in the park. Bo and Lauren were napping and Kenzi was playing video games while I lounged on the couch. Kenzi was laughing maniacally as her character stole a car and was being chased by the police. It was rather amusing but didn't do much to calm my nerves. I wasn't sure what was going to happen considering it appeared that there was a leak from inside the Secret Service. At least that is how it looked considering what was loaded on Burnell's laptop. I would suspect it would be enough to call off the speech tomorrow afternoon though I knew that wasn't a guarantee. I was so zoned out watching the TV that I barely noticed that Bo and Lauren had rejoined the land of the living as Bo sat in the recliner and pulled Lauren down with her.

I was startled when Bo spoke, "Kenz can you pause that and check to see if there are any new developments on the Burnell case?"

Kenzi hopped up from the floor pausing her game and went back to her desk. I waited impatiently while she started digging around in whatever hacked system she was in at the moment.

"Ok ladies looks like the Secret Services guys are all over this now though the police are still involved. The medical examiner is showing that Katie McMann died from a single gunshot wound to the chest by a 38. Gunshot residue was found on Burnell's right hand and cause of death is a single gunshot wound to the head where the angle and stippling are consistent with a self-inflicted shot. Toxicology reports came back clean. That is all they have so far." Kenzi went back to her game and saved her checkpoint before she turned it off.

I watched Bo as she processed the information Kenzi had given us. I could see this darkness cross her features and I knew she was raging inside.

She spoke to no one in particular, "That doesn't prove shit. I don't know how they pulled it off but Burnell didn't do this."

I watched as Lauren spoke softly to Bo and I could see her visibly relax, "We don't know what happened. Let's just see what we can find."

I wanted to chime in and say that we never heard any arguing on the recording from the listening devices and if a third party had entered the home to stage this killing then more than likely we would have heard arguing or a struggle or both. The only thing we heard were two gunshots. I wasn't ruling anything out but it seemed this was exactly what it looked like. I knew better than to point this out. I would wait before I started that argument.

I decided to try and smooth things out even more, "There is no way we can know what happened until we start diving into Hansen but we just aren't ready to do that yet. So let's just keep tabs on this for now."

I watched as Bo finally relented, "Agreed. We wait for now. I know we have more pressing issues."

I picked up my phone from the coffee table, "Let me call Paul and see what I can find out on that front."

I pulled up my contacts list and hit send when I found his name. He answered almost immediately and I asked him for the latest update. What he told me caused a wave of frustration to spread through me so quickly I had to grip the table to keep my composure.

After a few more minutes I hung up and slammed my phone on the table while the room watched me with bated breath. "Paul gave the laptop to his brother Deric. I didn't even know he had a brother. Anyway his brother is a part of the Presidential detail and Paul handed it over since he shouldn't have had it in his possession to begin with though if the Secret Service pokes around at DC Metro it wouldnt be too hard for them to figure out it was Paul that pulled the laptop from evidence. They kicked off an investigation immediately contacting the NSA, ATF, FBI, Interpol, DHS, Border Patrol and the DNI. Not one agency has any information regarding anything that was planted on the laptop. There were rifle specs on there but the ATF and FBI found no red flags. Interpol, Border Patrol and DHS have nothing on either border or flights inbound that raised concern. The NSA has no chatter regarding an attempt at the President and the DNI reported no foreign intelligence hinting at an attempt either. The shit McMann uploaded to the laptop allowed them to find the money trail from Macau to Alexei Yevdokimov but nothing before or after that exchange so nothing links back to RNC or the CIA. There is correspondence between Burnell and Yevdokimov that hints Burnell leaked all sorts of information that is compromising but nothing direct. Of course we know he didn't leak anything. To sum it up they haven't got shit and I don't know if they are calling off the speech or not."

The room was silent as everyone processed what I just shared with them until Lauren broke the silence, "Certainly that has to be enough."

I wanted to believe that we had accomplished what we set out to do but I had a nagging feeling that if we sat back and assumed we completed our objective then we would be wrong. I decided that for the time being I would keep my gut feeling to myself and instead I stated, "I would think so as well but do we really want to leave it up to chance?"

Kenzi asked as she looked at each one of us, "Well ladies what else can we do?"

Bo who had been quiet during this conversation finally spoke, "Kenzi do you still have a copy of what was placed on Burnell's laptop?"

Kenzi gave her a quizzical look but answered the question regardless, "Yes of course I do. Why?"

"Pull it up. I want to see it," Bo said as she maneuvered out of the recliner and walked over to the desk so she could see the computer screen better.

I looked at Lauren who shrugged her shoulders before I turned my attention back to Bo. She looked over the rifle specs and then had Kenzi pull up the plans the protection detail had outlined from tomorrow speech. She stood there studying everything for quiet sometime before she spoke again.

"It really should be enough but like you said Tamsin I am not willing to take that chance." She finally said.

She straightened up and then leaned against the desk while Kenzi swatted at her.

I had known my friend long enough to know that she was planning something. "I don't think any of us are. What are you planning?"

She crossed her arms over her chest and said, "I believe that what is on Burnell's laptop is what is intended to be used for the attempt. It would have to be in order lay him down as the scapegoat. That rifle is a L115A3 AWM. It is a five round bolt-action British rifle that can be fitted with a suppressor. Depending on conditions it can be effective from up to 1,203 yards. I think this attempt will be made by a sniper and I'm going to find him."

I saw the look of disbelief and fear cross Lauren's features as I shot up out of my seat, "What? What the hell makes you think you can do that? We have no information to go on."

Bo shook her head, "I disagree. Lauren you have to be back at work tomorrow?"

My mind was still trying to wrap itself around what Bo was arranging to do and I vaguely heard Lauren's reply, "Yes the Senate is still in session for the rest of this week."

Bo pushed off the desk, "I need to go. Do you want me to take you home?"

I cut in, "What are you planning? Why are you being so vague?"

Lauren went over to where Bo was standing while she answered, "Keep calling Paul for updates. Please. We need to know one way or the other but in the meantime I can at least try to figure out where this asshole might setup to take the shot."

I retorted, "There is a slim to none chance that you will be able to do that."

She countered, "It is better than not trying at all."

I sat back down and shook my head. I couldn't argue that she had a point but I didn't like the thought of her running around with no clear leads searching out a hired marksman but I kept it to myself.

I watched as Bo said her goodbye to Kenzi and left the house with Lauren.

Bo POV

I was aware that Tamsin was not happy with me. I didn't need her to voice it. I had known her long enough to discern when she was upset but I had it in me to try and find the man RNC hired. I couldn't sit and wait. That has never been my strong suit. I had always had a bit of an issue with patience.

The ride back to Lauren's house was quiet. I had a feeling she was upset with me as well but I didn't want to involve her in this. At the same time it didn't feel right to spend the day and night with her while there was something….anything I could be doing to try and stop this if the Secret Service didn't deem it necessary to call off the speech.

When I pulled into her driveway I stopped behind her BMW and shut off my truck. I chanced a look over in her direction and it appeared she was so lost in thought she didn't realize we were at her home.

"Lauren?" I asked softly trying to get her attention.

She turned from the window to face me, "Yeah?"

I reached across and grabbed her hand and reveled in the warmth it gave me, "You have been quiet since before we left the house. Are you upset with me?" I decided the direct approach was best. There wasn't time for anything else. It was already 4 in the afternoon and I didn't want to lose the light.

She sighed and played with my fingers with her other hand, "I'm not upset with you Bo. I am just scared. I don't want anything to happen to you. What if you get lucky and you find this person. Anything could happen. I hate feeling this way. I don't get scared. At least not like this."

I placed two fingers under her chin to make her eyes meet mine, "Do you understand though? This is a means to an end. If I can do this then we are one step closer."

I could see the conflict in her eyes clear as day. She took her free hand and ran her fingertips down my cheek, "Of course I understand. Doesn't mean I like it."

I flashed her a smile in an effort to reassure her, "Come here."

I leaned forward closing some of the space between us as I waited for her to close the rest of the distance. I let go of her hand and cupped her face as she placed her lips on mine. They were so soft and the touch of them made the world fall away for a moment. She grabbed my wrists and ran her hands down my arms until they settled on my shoulders. I ran my tongue along her bottom lip asking for more. She opened her mouth for me and I deepened the kiss. Feeling her tongue against mine made me moan quietly and the sound of it spurred her on. She ran her fingers into my hair and held me in place as our desire built. I needed to stop now or I wouldn't be able to. I ran my hands down her cheeks to rest on her neck as I pulled away from her slowly. Her eyes were dark and there was no mistaking the look she was giving me. I moved a bit trying to relive the ache that was building between my legs.

I needed to say my goodbye, "I have to go Lauren."

Those words seems to snap her out of the moment as I saw her face fall and she moved away from me, "I know. Please call me or just come over if you can. It doesn't matter what time. Just let me know you're safe."

I nodded, "I will." She opened the door to my truck and slid out giving me a small wave and a smile as she shut the door. I waited until she was inside her house before I left her driveway and headed to the convention center.

When I arrived I parked at a meter across the street and watched as security and police patrolled the inside and outside of the center. There were areas blocked off for restricted access and some barricades set up for crowd control. I knew the Secret Service ran site surveys to look for vulnerabilities, plan for manpower, equipment, evacuation routes and where the closest hospitals were located.

According to what we found on Burnell's laptop this had already been done well in advance and I knew from his notes and schematics that the President would be entering the convention center at the north entrance. Just from observing this entrance I knew a shot from the south, southwest or southeast would not be feasible. I crossed the street to the convention center and stood just outside the barrier that was set up for crowd control. I faced north and knew there was about one hundred eighty degrees of potential open space to set up and make a shot. Various factors would influence the bullet's trajectory and point of impact. The range to the target, wind direction, wind velocity, air density, gravity and elevation came into consideration when making a long distance shot.

Even with a suppressor I was considering that the shot would be taken from no less than six hundred yards from the target. From that distance I knew the man firing the shot would need to be able to read the wind speed tomorrow and would most likely use windage flags that were already set up naturally. If this person set up their own it would tip off the Secret Service. There was a flag flying outside the convention center's north entrance which could serve as a point of reference for determining wind velocity. I headed east on foot and continued to look for anything that would allow the sniper to gauge the wind, whether it was more flags, windsocks or anything that was loosely flying along my eastward path.

At about six hundred yards I had not found anything so I started to arc north and west as I watched the buildings on either side of the street. When I finally reached an angle that was northwest of where the President would be exiting the motorcade with a clear line of sight. I found another flag that was outside of a bank that was about four hundred yards from the north entrance of the convention center. I continued walking further away from where the target would be and after another two hundred yards along the path I found a windsock on the roof of a hospital that was used as a helipad. When I turned back towards the center I could see the perfect line up to read the wind velocity along a northwestern path from the convention center.

Just from sight alone there was no way to ascertain which building could be used to fire a long range shot at the President. I called Kenzi and asked her to pull up the database real estate agents use for listings as well as the county records to pinpoint street addresses.

"Where you able to get into the records?" I asked as she returned a snide remark that I needed to stop doubting her skills.

"Are there any new buildings that are being put up right now that would be empty due to construction?" After a few moments she came back with a negative on that front and my heart sank.

"Ok Kenz are there any buildings that have empty floors available? Actually let me narrow that down. Any empty floors available in buildings that are located northwest of the north entrance of the convention center?" I waited and could hear her typing furiously as she filled my request. She came back to me with three potential buildings.

I thanked her and hung up the phone and shoved it into my back pocket. Two of the buildings she gave me didn't fit my criteria as one was too close to the convention center to be a plausible choice and the other building was too far west to provide a clear line of sight. This left one building and I made my way to it. I walked around to the front and found that the front door was open which led into a lobby. There was a security desk but the attendant was not anywhere to be seen.

I walked further into the building bypassing the elevators in favor of the stairs. I entered the stairwell and headed to the tenth floor. Kenzi had informed that floors ten to fifteen were vacant. Once I reached the tenth floor I opened the door and entered the office suite. I checked every office along the wall of windows that was facing the convention center but I found nothing and by the very fine film of dust I could tell nothing had been disturbed on this floor recently.

I was gambling on the fact that the sniper would want to gain access to the building over the weekend and stay in place until the job was complete. I could be very wrong but I still felt it was worth taking the time to check five floors. If nothing panned out then we would think of something else if the Secret Service didn't call off the speech due to an imminent threat.

I exited the tenth floor and made my way to the eleventh and found the same result. As I entered the twelfth floor my gut scream at me. I placed my hand on my weapon but left it holstered and I walked slowing along the hallway that ran by the offices I would need to check.

The first two offices were empty but as I peered around the corner of the third I found a man standing with his back to the door. There was a long table pushed against the far wall under the bay of windows and another table to the left that held a rifle case, a 9mm, water, thermos and some food. It dawned on me that the security guard may not have been at his post because this man had killed him.

He must have sensed I was there because he turned around fast enough to catch me.

I asked in the very little Russian I knew, "Вы говорите по-английски?"

He smirked and answered, "Yes I speak English."

I was a bit surprised that he had no accent. It made me realize that he was either trained to speak without one or he had been living in the states for quite some time.

"I know why you're here." I said as I pulled my weapon free but left my hand behind my back as I leaned my right shoulder against the outside wall. He made no attempt to move and it worried me.

"I assumed you did. You wouldn't be here if you didn't. How did you find me?" He asked with genuine curiosity.

"This is six hundred yards from the convention center. I tracked the flags you would be using to determine wind velocity. The windsock, the flag at the bank and the flag at the convention center. You needed these because you knew you couldn't hang your own." I answered honestly as I gauged his reaction and his possible next move.

"Very perceptive." He remarked while taking another sip of what smelled like coffee.

"I can't let you do what you're here to do," I stepped away from the wall and took a step into the office with my weapon in hand but pointed to the floor, "kneel down and put your cup on the table."

I watched as he started to kneel while moving to place his cup down as I asked. He took me by surprise when I saw him swing his arm around and throw the coffee and then the cup into my face. I was extremely lucky as the coffee hit me - it was warm but not hot. I felt the air change in the room as the man rushed forward and slammed into me full force causing us both to move out of the office. He knocked the wind out of me and I couldn't catch my breath as we crashed through a plane of glass that separated what looked like a conference room from the hallway. I landed on the floor with the man on top of me and my head snapped back hitting the floor. I saw colors flash across my sight and I became nauseous from the pain in my head and back. My back burned from the cuts the glass caused and my eyes watered from having coffee thrown in my face. I couldn't get my bearings and I felt the weight of the man lift off of me before his fist hit me in the mouth splitting my lip. I could taste blood and it didn't help settle my stomach. The force of the impact had caused me to lose my grip on my gun and I tried to roll to my left to reach for it.

I heard the man laugh as he started to stand up and he stepped on my left wrist halting my movements. Pain shot up my arm and I tried to use the sleeve of my t-shirt to wipe my eyes. He moved his foot off my wrist and I heard him kick my weapon out of reach.

I was finally able to roll onto my left side and open my eyes. He was standing over me with an amused smile on his face, "Did you really think you could stop me little girl?"

I silently cursed myself for not bringing Tamsin with me but then the man turned his back to me to pick up my weapon. I reached down with my right hand and pulled my back up piece from my ankle holster on my left leg. He must have heard my movements because he turned abruptly. I didn't think when I lifted my right arm and fired three shots. The noise echoed in the empty office space and it was deafening.

I dropped my arm and rolled over on to all fours before I was able to stand. Despite the dizziness and pain in my head I walked over to the man I had just shot and felt for a pulse. When I didn't find one I holstered my weapon and picked up my other piece and holstered it as well. I checked his pockets but found nothing. I turned and looked at the broken glass. I had bled on the floor and I could still feel it running down my back but the little cuts didn't feel severe. I would have to call Syad to scrub the place down. I couldn't let local law enforcement collect my blood as evidence. My DNA is on file from when I was in the military. The military collects DNA from everyone who serves. I really didn't want to drag Syad into a third clean up job but I had no choice and it needed to be tonight. I pulled my phone out of my back pocket saying a little thank you that my phone didn't break when I landed on my back. I had his number memorized and I dialed waiting for him to answer.

"Syad, I am in need of your services again. Rush job. Twelfth floor of the Hughes Tower. I'll pay double. Leave the body and the stuff in the office. Just wipe down for fingerprints and clean the blood from the hallway floor. I want to leave the rest as a warning."

The incentive to earn twice the usual amount was enough to get him to agree. I hung up the phone and walked back into the office to check for any type of computer, phone or ID but I came up empty. I lifted the lid on the rifle case and confirmed it was an L115A3 AWM.

I dropped the lid of the case and walked back down the hallway to the stairs. I went slowly as the pain from my back and head continued to grow. When I reached the lobby again the security guard was still not at his spot and I knew he had to be dead. I exited the building and it was dark outside. I checked my phone and it was almost eight. It was a Sunday and this area was virtually deserted. I called Kenzi and told her vaguely what happened and asked her to pass it along to Tamsin. I wanted them to know there was no more worry for tomorrow unless we missed something and I would fill them in with more details later.

After a thirty minute walk I made it back to my truck and paid the meter. I climbed into the driver's seat and was careful not to lean back as I started my vehicle and headed to Lauren's house.

Lauren POV

I had just finished my dinner of Chinese takeout and was now sitting on my couch with a glass of wine trying to concentrate on my book. I was finding it extremely difficult to focus as my mind kept drifting to Bo and how worried I was for her. We had just found each other and I didn't want that to slip away before we even had a chance to explore where things could go.

I was startled when I heard a knock at the door. I almost spilled my wine but was able to keep it all in the glass. I set it down along with my book and rushed to the door hoping it was Bo.

I looked through the window and saw her standing on the doorstep. My heart swelled at the sight of her and I felt a wave of relief flood through me knowing she was finally here with me.

I unlocked the door and opened it wide for her and what I saw made my stomach drop and my smile vanish, "What happened to you?"


	14. Chapter 14

Apologies again for the length of time between updates. Worked like crazy to get the time off to go to DragonCon. It was a wonderful experience! Got to meet the LG cast and they are the goofiest, nicest most talented people one could hope to meet. Next update I hope will be done by the 18th but could be as late as the 27th but no later. This chapter is short but ties into the next where we send Kenzi out to get the last big piece of the puzzle. I wanted a chapter to lead into that. I am sleepy writing - so forgive the sappy dialogue. Enjoy and let me know what you think! I own nothing. All mistakes are mine.

Lauren POV

I stared at Bo and took a step back more out of shock than an actual invitation to let her in my home but she stepped through the threshold regardless and shut the door for me while I stood there. As she turned to relock the front door I snapped out of my haze.

I grabbed her hand and started to lead her back to my bedroom, "We need to get you cleaned up."

She gripped my hand and followed me wordlessly. I moved us into the bathroom directing her to sit on the edge of the bathtub as I sat next to her. After I pulled her shirt off and dropped it on the floor she spoke, "I stopped him Lauren."

It was a statement void of any emotion. Just a fact she seemed to be sharing with me. I tried to catch her gaze but she wouldn't look at me. I sighed and bit back my response while I continued to help her out of her clothing. I reached around and unhooked her bra and she moved to pull the straps off her shoulders before shrugging it to the floor to join her shirt.

I gently laid my hands on her shoulders and turned her so I could get a better view of her back.

I examined the damage and cringed internally before taking a steading breath, "You have a nasty bruise and there are some cuts but nothing that seems too deep," I removed the bandage from her side to inspect the wound she received when we went to Hale's apartment, "but you reopened the gash on your side."

I stood up and retrieved the first aid kit, setting it on the counter by the sink. "Take a shower and then bandage that wound again. I will find you something to wear for the night."

I headed for the door when her voice stopped me, "Thank you Lauren." It was barely above a whisper and I could hear the sincerity behind her words. I nodded and left her while I searched out something that would fit her for bed. I heard Bo step into the shower as I found an old Yale T-shirt with a pair of boxer shorts and I laid them on the bathroom counter for her to change into when she was finished. After laying out the clothes I shut the bathroom door deciding to change for bed as well since it seemed my evening was over for the most part. I had to go into the office tomorrow so it was probably best to call it a night. I pulled out my pantsuit for tomorrow and hung it up on the back of the closet door before throwing on a tank top and shorts for bed.

I crawled into bed and dimmed the lighting. I was about to charge the phone Bo gave me when it rang. It surprised me because Bo was really the only one that ever called me on this cell and she was already here with me. I answered and discovered it was Tamsin calling me looking for Bo. Instead of taking a message or dragging Bo out of the shower, Tamsin filled me in on what she wanted to relay and then ended the call.

I tossed the phone on the nightstand and set the alarm on the clock so I could get up and start my weekly routine in the morning when I heard the bathroom door open. Bo stepped out wearing the clothes I left her while holding her discarded items bunched up in her hands.

I nodded at the pile of clothes in her hands, "Your shirt is ruined. We can get throw it away in the morning and you can wear my T-shirt home."

She smiled tentatively at me as she walked around to the other side of the bed and dropped her stuff on the floor, "Thanks."

She wouldn't meet my gaze again as she climbed into bed next to me.

I tried to break the uncomfortable tension and silence, "Tamsin called while you were in the shower. She said that the Secret Service ended up calling off the Presidential speech that was scheduled for tomorrow. She said she tried to call you."

Bo sat up and looked down at me finally meeting my eyes, "My phone is on silent in my jeans pocket," she shook her head, "so it seems what I did was unnecessary. If I had just waited a little longer…"

She trailed off not finishing her thought. I could easily read the internal conflict she was having with herself but I wasn't exactly sure what was bothering her specifically. Considering the condition she was in when she showed up at my door I could only guess. I despised this tension that hung in the air and I refused to let it continue to suffocate me.

I reached out and pulled her down to lay against me. She rested her head on my chest while her arm went around my waist and I said, "Talk to me Bo."

I felt more than heard her sigh as she let out a breath before speaking, "I was lucky Lauren. It wasn't skill or planning that got me back here. It was pure luck and it made me realize if I keep going the way I am that luck will run out and I will lose my life for it. I've reconnected with Tamsin and Kenzi and even Hale and it feels wonderful to be with and around people that care for me and I for them. I don't want to lose that because I think I need to go off on my own and fix everything or that I think I know best. What you and Tamsin planned turned out to be a success. If I had just waited a few hours longer none of what I did would have ever happened."

She propped herself up on her elbow so she could see my face and continued, "I just found you Lauren and I almost lost it all tonight. I didn't put enough faith in you and Tamsin and I apologize for being so thoughtless."

I looked up in her expressive eyes easily reading the regret, fear and shame that radiated from them. I cupped her cheek with my right hand and she leaned into my touch. "I am just so relieved that you are ok. Yes my idea to approach the Secret Service with Tamsin's help worked out in the end but you have to realize that you have lived a certain way for years. It will take longer than a week to break yourself out of a certain pattern or way of thinking and acting."

She gave me a small smile as I felt her right hand slip under my tank top. The feel of her hand on my bare skin caused my heart to race and my skin to heat up. I dropped my hand from her cheek as she continued to venture up my body. As she stared down at me the shame, regret and fear disappeared from her eyes only to be replaced by desire, lust and a look of love.

Bo cupped my breast with her hand ever so lightly causing me to shiver and my breath catch in my throat. She leaned down and captured my lips in a soft sensual kiss that she deepened almost immediately. The feel of her tongue against mine forced a moan past my lips. She pulled herself further on top of me and used her other hand to push my top up past my breasts exposing them to the cool air of the room.

She broke away from my mouth and began kissing and nipping the skin along my jaw and down my neck. I tilled my head back to allow her more access as her lips traveled lower. She licked, kissed and nipped the skin along my collarbone until I felt her mouth on my left breast. I could feel her sucking and biting my nipple softly as pleasure shot through my body causing me to moan and pull in a fast breath. She released my nipple and kissed across my chest taking my other breast into her mouth. She ran her tongue around my nipple before sucking hard and grazing her teeth along the sensitive flesh. Her ministrations made me ache and I could feel my arousal build between my legs.

As if sensing my need Bo's right hand traveled down my stomach and past the waistline of my shorts. She continued to worship my breasts as she entered me with two fingers and started an agonizingly slow pace. Her body began to rock against mine as her rhythm increased and my hips moved to match her pace. I tried to reach my hand into her shorts but she stopped me whispering, "No. Please just let me show you how much. Make you feel where my words may fall short."

I nodded my head in understanding as I wrapped my arms around her pulling her closer to me. Bo captured me in another searing kiss as her fingers continued to move inside me. I ran my hands through her hair as the pleasure coursing through my body was almost too much to bear.

With her body rocking against me and one last thrust of her fingers I came hard moaning with pleasure as I lost my breath with her name on my lips. My back arched off the bed and my hips moved against her as my body succumbed to the intense feelings coursing through it. She slowed her movements but did not stop as she helped prolong my pleasure. I started to relax as my release was ending. My orgasm subsided and Bo removed her fingers from inside me.

She moved off of me and pulled her body against my side while wrapping her arm around my waist. She buried her face against my neck and placed a soft kiss under my ear. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close to me. I pulled the sheets up to cover ourselves as I kissed the top of her head and sighed.

I could feel my eyes starting to get heavy with sleep as my body was completely sated and the stress of the day was expelled from my body.

Before I fell asleep I drew her closer to me and whispered, "I can feel it Bo."

I felt her smile against my neck as she squeezed me tight, "Good night Lauren."

Bo POV

I woke up to the sunlight filling the bedroom. It took me a moment to realize where I was. I smiled as thoughts of Lauren crept through my mind. I reached beside me but only found cold sheets. I sat up quickly but regretted the sudden move as pain settled into my body from the abuse it suffered last night. I looked at the clock on Lauren's night stand and it was about nine in the morning. I knew she was already at work and I turned to get out of bed when I found a note on the night stand next to me.

I picked it up and read it:

 _Bo,_

 _I had to leave for work and you looked so peaceful sleeping that I could not bring myself to wake you. I figured you needed your rest. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen if you're hungry. I will call you later and I hope to see you this evening._

 _Lauren_

I could feel the goofy grin spread across my face at her gesture to leave a note and allow me my rest. I folded the paper and set it back down as I got up. I grabbed my clothes from last night and headed into the bathroom. I brushed my teeth with the spare toothbrush and took another shower. After bandaging my side again I changed back into my jeans and GBX boots. I put my bra back on but kept Lauren's Yale T-shirt as the one I had worn yesterday was beyond saving. I exited the bathroom and made my way back to her room. I put Lauren's note in my back pocket and then made the bed. I folded the boxer shorts she let me borrow and placed them on the bed. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and turned the ringer back on so I wouldn't miss her call or any others from Tamsin or Kenzi. I headed into the garage and dumped my ruined T-shirt into the trash. I decided to eat breakfast back at the house so I proceeded to leave Lauren's and lock up behind me with the spare key she left me with another note telling me to do just that.

I opened the driver's side door of my truck and saw there was some blood on the steering wheel and seat. It wasn't a lot but I would have to clean the leather again once I got back to the house. I got in and started the vehicle and made my way back to my temporary home.

As I entered the house I saw Kenzi sitting on the couch in her sleep pants and matching shirt eating an insanely large bowl of cereal and watching something on her laptop.

As I closed the door I asked, "Tamsin at work?"

Kenzi answered without looking up from the screen, "Yep. Lauren at work?"

I chuckled, "Yes. Hale?"

She spoke in between bites, "Fed him, changed his bandage and now he is sleeping."

I came around the coffee table and sat down next to Kenzi. My movement finally brought her attention from the computer and her eyes opened wide in shock, "Holy shit! What the hell happened to you?"

I sighed and looked away from her, "Well you know I found and uh….dispatched of the hired gun last night. Let's just say he got a few hits in before I handled it."

Kenzi leaned forward and put her laptop and bowl on the coffee table as she turned on the couch to fully face me with her feet tucked beneath her, "Yeah I know you found him. Tamsin relayed your message when you called last night saying you took care of it which I can only assume means you killed him but that doesn't answer my question."

I turned my body so I was almost fully facing Kenzi propping my right leg up on the couch. I could see the worry in her eyes and I remembered what Lauren had said last night. I was done living in a manner that had me keeping secrets and holding people at arm's length while I took on the weight of every problem alone.

I grabbed her hand and I could see the surprise at my gesture, "Yes Kenz it means I killed him and I also know that Tamsin's contact got through to the right people at the Secret Service. If I had just held off a few more hours none of what I did would have been necessary. Lauren's idea of letting the proper channels know of the threat was the right call but I still took off yesterday to try and fix it all on my own and it almost got me killed as you can see."

"Yeah I do see. I didn't want you to chase after that guy but I knew I probably wouldn't have been able to stop you. I could tell your mind was made up. I was worried about you."

I squeezed her hand and gave her the best reassuring smile I could muster, "I'm not used to this Kenz. Working together with a group as close as we are. Especially a group made up of all the people I love in this world. I usually do everything alone but I'm trying to change that mindset. Just give me some time. Accept my apology. It wasn't my intention to worry any of you."

Kenzi smiled and got a mischievous look on her face, "Forget it big sis. I forgive you but I'm going to hug you now."

With that said she launched herself full force in my direction and wrapped her arms around my body holding me in a tiny death grip that caused pain to shoot through my back. I ignored it and returned the hug. It was a special thing for me to be able to sit here with my best friend and sister and hold on to her like I used to when we were growing up.

She let me go and leaned back. I could see a sort of scared look on her face. I braced myself.

She looked down at the couch to avoid my stare as she said, "I have two thing I need to tell you and I don't think you will like either of them."

I nodded as I bit my lower lip waiting for her to begin.

She started to fidget with the hem of her sleep pants, "I really like Hale and he likes me and when this is over and he is better he is going to take me out. You know on a date."

She said the entire sentence in one breath and I barely caught the words since she said them so quickly. I bit back my laughter that she thought I would be angry or upset that she and Hale were interested in each other. I couldn't think two better people to be together. I wanted to give her a hard time but decided against it. It bothered me that she felt fear in sharing this news with me and I wanted nothing more than to have her be able to talk to me like a real sister would - like we used to.

I held back my teasing and said, "I'm happy for the both of you Kenz. I want nothing but the best and the world for you. I hope you know that and if you don't then I will do my best to show you that is how it always has been and will be."

I could hear her let out the breath she was holding as she looked up at me smiling, "Oh thank God. I thought you would be pissed! I know you want what is best for me but I thought that would mean never letting me date anyone. You got to admit you pretty much raised me so that kind of makes your my designated parent and those are usually disapproving of all date like material."

I shook my head and laughed, "Don't ever change Kenz. So with that done. What is the next thing you have to tell me?"

She grabbed both my hands and leaned forward like she was about to tell a scary story around a camp fire, "Hear me out ok? I talked to Tamsin about this last night after her Secret Service contact called her and if you and Lauren agree then I want to put my plan into motion tomorrow."

I gave her a skeptical look but I wanted her to know that deep down I was still the person she grew up with. She could trust me and rely on me. I didn't want her to fear or pull away from me. I held back any type of response and just waited for her to explain.

"If you and Lauren agree then I need to start getting things in motion now so they will be ready for tomorrow. I want to pose as an employee at RNC in their IT department. This would give me access to their servers, security system and network and when that Hansen guy leaves work tomorrow evening, I want to break into his office and see if he is storing any pertinent information in his office about this wild shit storm he and the others created."

I saw Kenzi flinch and I realized I was squeezing her hands to the point of pain. I relaxed my grip immediately and took a deep breath before responding, "Tell me more." I wanted to hear her out even though everything inside me was screaming and raging against this idea. She would be taking a huge risk and putting herself directly in harm's way. I hated it. I initially almost blurted out that I forbid it but my own thoughts and Lauren's words resonated with me. In reality Kenzi would be the perfect candidate. She would be onsite where she would have hands on access to RNC's internal network. Access to the parts she can't hack from the outside. If Hansen is hiding any information in his office then Kenzi would be perfect to break past any electronic countermeasures to gain access to what we might need.

"Last night I already tested their network and I can hack in and create an employee profile for myself under a false name. I can create an employee badge down to the magnetic security strip. I can give myself whatever level access I need to not look suspicious to other employees if I need to be in a restricted area. I can check out their security set up from cameras to door locks to security guards. I can see what kind of security they have such as badges or keypads or whatever for certain areas. Once I know what they have I know I can hack it or build in a backdoor or workaround. Override door locks, loop camera feeds or whatever. I can scope Hansen's office and work my way in after hours. If he has anything in there worth our time. I will get my hands on it."

I hated it but she was the best for this type of job. Lauren couldn't do it and Tamsin and I were nowhere near as proficient as Kenzi was with all things technical. Tamsin or I could probably do this with weeks' worth of prep work but we may not have that kind of time.

I pulled my hands from Kenzi's and placed them on either side of her face, "This scares the hell out of me but I trust you. We can run it by Lauren tonight and see if she agrees that this is a good next move. She's good with thinking things through about ten steps ahead. What do you need from me?"

I could see the shocked look on her face. I could tell she was expecting me to say no and possibly get angry. It felt different but refreshing to be able to step back and think instead of allowing my gut reaction to take over without thought.

Kenzi shook her head back and forth really fast for a second as if trying to bring herself back to a certain reality, "I am so happy you are on board. I don't need anything from you right now. Tomorrow though I want you on my system ready to pass on any information I might need."

I agreed, "I can do that. Well I can try my best to pass any info you may need on the fly."

Kenzi jumped off the couch and slammed her laptop shut and grabbed her bowl of cereal, "Well then I am going to get started. Talk to your woman as soon as possible so I don't waste time on this if she can think of something better. I am so ready to get out of this house and away from this keyboard. I am ready to really contribute with my super-secret ninja spy skills."

I sank back into the couch and watched Kenzi head over to her desk. I needed her know just how important she really was to this, for lack of a better word, operation.

"Kenzi, we would be nowhere on this if it wasn't for you. Please know that and don't take any unnecessary risks to try and prove you have something to contribute when you have already done so much."

She was about to respond when there was some type of alert that popped up on her screen. She sat down and checked a few logs and then turned to me, "OH I have some bad news. Your missing status with the CIA finally reached the director. It has gone up to an entirely new level. What does this mean?"

I leaned forward placing my elbows on my knees, "They have everything that is real about me Kenz. It means they will contact our foster parents, people in my old military unit. They know about you and will probably try to seek you out. They know I live at your apartment when I am in DC so they will probably camp agents out there in hopes I will turn up. They are going to try and seek me out and take me in. Don't worry about it. I will take care of it."

She looked flabbergasted, "What do you mean don't worry. How are you going to take care of it?"

I had shared this with Lauren but I really didn't want to throw this at Kenzi before she went into RNC tomorrow. I didn't want anything to distract her but I wasn't going to lie to her now.

"I figured this would happen eventually. Barring any complications I plan on turning myself over to the agency once this is all over and to answer your next question I don't know exactly what that entails. All I know is that when we are free and clear of this I want a fresh start. I don't want this hanging over my head."

She looked like she was about to argue but then shifted her thought process, "I get it. You want to be with your lady lurve with a clear path ahead of you. Just know if those bastards try to throw you away into some black site in Poland I am coming after your ass."

I laughed and held my held my hands up in surrender. I had a feeling she was completely serious. I asked, "How about things with Tamsin's position? I know there is worry about the NSA catching on to her access to the archives and other suspicious activity."

A proud smile spread across Kenzi's face, "I was finally able to get into what I needed at the NSA. I erased anything related to her less than legal activity. She is in the clear unless we need her to access anything off book again in which case I will have to go back in clear that out of the system."

I stood up and headed for the kitchen. I could hear my stomach growling, "Well then unless Lauren says otherwise I guess you're a go for tomorrow if you feel you can honestly do this with less than one day of prep work."

Kenzi smirked at me then winked, "I'm a go."


	15. Chapter 15

Lauren POV

I finally dragged myself home after a long and tedious day at the office. It was always hectic during the last week before the Senate recessed for any amount of time. At this point the only thing I wanted to do was curl up on the couch with a nice glass of wine and block out the world for a night. Having Bo curled up with me would have been an added bonus but she was staying home tonight. She couldn't bring herself to part from Kenzi's side while they prepped for her infiltration of RNC tomorrow.

Bo had filled me in on what they wanted to do while I was on my way home from work this evening. I knew it needed to be done but I was worried things were being rushed a bit and I voiced my concern. I also knew since we stopped the assassination attempt, any contingency plans that were in place would be kicked off sooner rather than later and we needed more information. That piece of the puzzled that tied it all together. The reason behind it all. That is what we were missing. I felt it was a safe bet that the information we required was either in Hansen's office or home. I doubted he had a third location where he stored his records though it was possible. I leaned towards the theory that he kept any information pertaining to this conspiracy at his office in RNC. He could easily run things using RNC resources and flip it to look like a legitimate contract or operation. In the end I agreed that this was the next best move.

I finally reached my goal and stretched out on the couch after eating a light dinner and changing out of my office attire. I loved being able to throw on an old t-shirt with a pair of sweatpants or shorts after having to sit all day in dress pants and shirt in a stuffy office with stuffy people. I loved my job. Every aspect of it. There were just times when putting on the poker face to deal with lobbyists, committee members and staff that became tiresome and stressful. I worked hard to push real change that would benefit many people on a daily basis and I was proud of what I had accomplished so far and plan to accomplish in the future. It was the maneuvering of hidden agendas and clashing ideals that wore me down from time to time. Back when I started college it was difficult to decide between following a medical career or entering politics. I felt politics would be the place I could really reach out and change things for people on a bigger scale. The fact that I now find myself trying to stop corruption in the very government I have been serving proudly for years tears at me more than I would like to admit. The abuse of power was disgusting to me and though I kept it to myself, I feared it would taint my core belief in what I was doing. More than once the thought crossed my mind that I was deluding myself into thinking I was really making any real difference. That other people in power positions cut corners which voided any good that I or others did during our terms of service.

I took a sip of my wine and turned on the TV changing the channels until I found CNN in an attempt to try and distract my thoughts. I muted the sound and read the headlines that ran across the bottom of the screen as my mind drifted to thoughts of Bo. We had spent the last two nights together and the thought that she wouldn't be beside me when I woke up tomorrow morning dampened my already bleak mood. I have such strong feelings for her that both excited and scared me. The almost instant attraction I have for her was something I had never felt before and my feeling were growing stronger every day. I could feel deep down that she was the woman I could fall in love with utterly and completely. I never believed in love at first sight or the fairy tale romantic movie type love. It just wasn't logical to take one look at someone and be swept away in a forever type of love that led to happy ever after. I thought all these things and on some level I still do but Bo was quickly cracking the foundation that held those beliefs and I was content with her doing so. She was defying my logic and breaking boundaries. It was freeing. I could feel myself falling quickly and I never wanted it to stop.

After seeing her last night standing at my front door bruised, bloody and beaten the fear that lived in the pit of my stomach exploded into something that was almost all encompassing. I just found her. I couldn't lose her because she felt she had to take on the world alone. I think she realized this and it brought me some comfort but it didn't take my worry away completely. If this little mission of ours didn't take her from me there was still the CIA looking for her and that doesn't stop the fact that there is still an open DC Metro homicide case in which she was responsible for taking the life of that RNC contractor that was keeping tabs on me. It seemed like the walls were closing in and it made it hard to breath. The knowledge that after we succeed in stopping this plot the fallout from her actions still needed to be dealt with – leaving a lot of unknowns in our future.

I couldn't think about it anymore. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. Kenzi was going to pose as an RNC employee with Bo as support and Tamsin on the sidelines ready to pull Kenzi out if things turned south though I was not convinced that was a smart idea. I was working only a half day tomorrow even though I really couldn't spare the time. Tamsin would be picking me up in the afternoon and taking me over to the house since I couldn't drive there myself. They wanted me there to help decipher any information Kenzi may be able to obtain from Hansen. It didn't seem that RNC or the CIA were following my movements anymore but I still had that damn GPS chip in my car that I couldn't remove without alerting whoever put it there that it was discovered in the first place. Taking that chip out now would only bring unwanted attention back on me when it seemed the focus had shifted from me early on.

I finished the rest of my wine after turning off the TV. I got up from the couch and took my glass into the kitchen and washed it out before putting it in the dishwasher to run in the morning. I grabbed my phones and headed to my bedroom. It was odd to me carrying two phones. My personal cell and then this other cell phone that Bo gave me that encrypted voice and text that was most likely obtained through nefarious means. I set the alarm on the clock sitting on my night stand before I crawled under the covers deciding to text Bo before I settled in and tried to sleep in lieu of my seemingly never-ending thoughts. I was hoping the alcohol would settle my nerves enough to bring a restful night's sleep.

I typed out my message and sent it before I overthought it and held the phone in my hand hoping she would reply back before I drifted off. I didn't wait long when I felt the phone buzz and I quickly opened the message and read:

 _Good night to you too. Sleep well and I will see you tomorrow. I miss you._

I smiled to myself and put the phone back on the nightstand and turned over onto my side to face the empty space in my bed that Bo had occupied over the last few nights. I reached out and grabbed her pillow and pulled it to me. The scent that was uniquely Bo still lingered relaxing me enough to close my eyes and allow myself to drift off to sleep.

Kenzi POV

I slammed my hand down on the annoying device that was making the horrid beeping noise at a time that was way too early for any normal human being to be awake. I groaned as the alarm turned off after hitting it about three times. Today was the day. I felt surprisingly calm but I chalked that up to the fact that I was still more than half asleep. I rolled out of bed and headed to one of three bathrooms in the house. I took over this bathroom as mine and the other ladies in the house could fight over the other two for all I cared. I spent more time here than the others so I took liberties in claiming this little corner of the house as mine. I knew what I was about to do was dangerous and risky but I was also excited. I had spent so much time in front of my computer system in the living room that I couldn't remember the last time I spent more than a few hours outside this house. I was anxious to get this started. I spent the rest of yesterday afternoon and a good part of the evening going over the RNC building blueprints, talking with Hale about security around the office, what sections were restricted and why. I built myself a false employee profile with my new alias Jayne Bagley, made up my security badge that would allow me access into some of the areas I needed once inside the building. I could always bypass the system if I needed into a section that my current badge didn't allow. I memorized all the managers' names and titles inside the IT department in case I needed to throw any names around if anyone asked what I was doing or why I was in a certain area.

I showered and got dressed while finding a new found appreciation for the fact that I owned my own company and didn't have to wear stupid business attire and wake up at the ass crack of dawn. I grabbed my bag that I packed last night that had my laptop and a few other things I thought I could sneak past security and headed to Hale's room. I peeked inside and found he was already awake which didn't surprise me. He was a huge help yesterday giving me any and all information he had about RNC but I could see he was biting his tongue. I knew he was worried and he was the only one that spoke against me heading into the lion's den other than Lauren who was only concerned I was rushing into this. He knew he couldn't change my mind so he offered his help and kept the rest to himself. I walked over to him and leaned down giving him a good morning kiss. He told me he could take care of himself today and asked that I not concern myself with his needs when I had more important things to worry about. I knew he could change his own bandage now and walk to and from the restroom. Tamsin, Bo and Lauren would be here when he got hungry but I didn't think he realized I enjoyed helping him while he was on the mend. Regardless I knew he was in good hands and decided to put my whole focus on today's task.

Hale grabbed my hand as I was pulling away from him, "Be careful. Get out if anything feels off. Don't push it trying to get what you think you need. If it isn't safe don't risk it. Promise me."

I sat down on the edge of the bed, "Oh my beautiful beautiful man. I promise you."

He didn't look convinced but he squeezed my hand before he let go saying, "Go then and get it done. I expect to see you tonight. You can bring us take out and close the door to the bedroom and we can pretend we are out on the town together all while I am lying here continuing to heal. It will take a bit of imagination but I think we can pull it off."

I laughed and shook my head. I knew he was going stir crazy just as much as I was being cooped up in this house, "It's a date. I gotta go."

I grabbed my bag from the floor and slung it over my shoulder and walked out into the living room before I lost my nerve. Bo was already sitting at my desk getting acquainted with how my system was set up. I showed her yesterday how I had personalized my setup but I knew she didn't want any surprises. I had five Kali Linux systems using TOR wired up on a LAN and running through a wireless router sitting behind several proxy servers. It was art and I was proud of what I built.

Bo glanced over at me as I made my way to the kitchen to grab a quick breakfast. I felt the knots starting to tighten in my stomach killing my appetite which was something that never happened. I could always eat but right now food just didn't seem that appealing. I knew I needed to eat so I poured my usual bowl of cereal and made my way over to Bo. She leaned back in the chair as I leaned against the desk.

"You have everything you need?" She asked tugging on my bag.

"I do. Let's just hope my bag makes it through the x-ray machine at the security point. You sure this bag will shield the stuff I have in here that I don't want to be caught with?"

She smiled at me, "That bag is specifically designed to exploit the vulnerability of an x-ray machine and we packed everything exactly the way it was needed last night. Don't worry. You will make it through and so will your bag."

I sighed and took another bite before saying, "You seem so confident about that. How do you know?"

She smirked at me in the most annoying way, "Who do you think you're talking to? I've done this. I've had to. I just know."

I smacked her on the arm, "Don't be cocky. Tell me how this shit works."

Rubbing her arm she explained, "When they run an item through an x-ray machine the things inside are dependent on a color scheme. Metals are colored black to blue, plastics and composites turn out blue to green, and anything organic will be shades of orange. The issue with the machine is that it runs on angles. The x-ray goes from bottom to top inside the machine at roughly a 45 degree angle which skews the image somewhat. That bag has two metal plates as you saw hidden inside the fabric and that is where we put your secure phone and everything else. It won't show up."

I knew my sister wouldn't steer me wrong. I just realized that for every one thing I did know there were two things I didn't. As I finished my cereal and put the bowl in the sink I was starting to wonder if I was in over my head. Before I had a chance to back out, Bo walked into the kitchen and gently grabbed my upper arms forcing me to face her, "Walk in like you own the place. I know you can do this. We don't even know if what we are looking for is at Hansen's office so just do what you can. Now get out of here."

I smiled and nodded before moving out of her grasp and exited the house. I arrived at the RNC offices at about fifteen minutes before eight. I was silently rejoicing that RNC didn't have secure parking. I was able to just pull into the massive parking garage without having to worry about any attendants checking for parking stickers or special access passes to the garage.

I parked on the second level and as I got out of the car I looked around and saw that the garage did have well placed security cameras. I would have to find out where these cameras were connected and erase the footage later.

I made my way down the stairs to the first level and walked into the building's lobby. It was exactly how Hale described it and matched the blueprints as well. I bypassed the front desk where visitors would sign in and headed to the employee security section. My heart hammered in my chest as I laid my bag down to be x-rayed like at the airport while I flashed the attendant my badge. He nodded for me to tap my badge on the card reader and as I did so it beeped and the light changed from red to green. I did an internal happy dance that I was through security and when I walked forward the gentleman motioned for me to grab my stuff and head on to the elevators. I continued my little happy dance as I gave a silent thank you to Bo for her help in getting my bag through without my extra electronics being detected.

I walked passed the elevators and headed for the stairs. I took them down one level and found what I was looking for. I walked down the hall towards the door while taking everything in through the glass walls. I was about to enter the electronic heart of the building. I reached the door and swiped my badge on the card reader and gained access to the heart of everything.

I looked around the halls I just left and saw more security cameras as well as cameras inside the server room I just entered. I would have a fun time finding and erasing security footage later today. I took in my surroundings and saw that RNC was an all Cisco shop when it came to their firewalls, routers and switches. They were running Dell PowerEdge servers and it looked like there phone system was running through an Avaya PBX. The building seemed to be wired with multimode fiber optic cabling and the whole setup was quite impressive.

I made my way to the back corner and sat down in a chair that was against the wall. I tossed my bag up on a little table that could be used as a workspace for racking, stacking and/or configuring equipment inside the room. I unzipped the main section of the bag and pulled out my laptop before disconnecting the false back of the bag to get into the area that I had packed away other gadgets I thought I might need. I pulled out my phone and called Bo while slipping on a Bluetooth earpiece so I could remain hands free.

Bo answered the phone almost immediately and I could tell she was on edge. I quickly informed her that I got through security with no issues and was now sitting in a remote corner of the server room on the first sublevel. I booted up my laptop and pulled out a CAT5e cable and hooked myself up to the closest switch port and began digging into the RNC internal network.

Bo POV

I was tense and anxious while I looked at the time on my phone for probably the fifth time in the last ten minutes. It was about one in the afternoon and Tamsin had already left to pick Lauren up from her house since she took a half day off. I hated asking Lauren to miss work but she had this way of seeing individual pieces and how they came together to form a bigger picture. Her intelligence was extraordinary and was one of the many things I found so attractive about her. I wanted her here in case Kenzi found something. Lauren would be the one out of all of us to discern if something was of importance or not.

Kenzi and I were in constant communication and I was grateful that we had the open line via our cell phones. I knew in real time what Kenzi was doing and if she was in any trouble. So far things were quiet on her end but I knew we still had a long way to go. It took everything in me to not storm in there and pull her out. I hated that I couldn't be the one to do this. I wanted to protect her. I wanted to protect everyone. I was starting to learn though that I wasn't alone anymore and it was time to trust the people around me. Time for me to let go of some of the control and let the others do what they do best. Kenzi was hands down the best person to for this task. At least in the short amount of time that this was planned. She was the smartest person I knew in regards to networks and computer systems. She could get anything from anywhere at any time. She was quick on her feet and knew how to improvise.

At the moment I was sitting here at her desk listening to her mutter on about punching a hole through the edge firewall and router. I assumed she didn't mean literally. I could only guess she was creating back doors into the RNC network in case we needed access in later. I didn't want to ask her what she was doing and interrupt her flow. I was well aware that once she got in the zone it was unwise to break up that rhythm she got into when she was working. I heard her mentioning installing a RAT on one of the servers on site and I had to bite my tongue not to grill her on what exactly she was up to. I envied her in a way how talented she was in what she did and how much she enjoyed it. I wanted something like that for myself. I could only hope.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when the front door opened to reveal Tamsin and Lauren. Tamsin walked by with a punch to my shoulder as she sat down in the recliner and shut her eyes. Lauren walked over to me and leaned down to give me a kiss when I grabbed her arm and pulled her down into my lap.

I muted my phone so Kenzi wouldn't have to listen to our conversation and I leaned in to give Lauren the kiss she originally intended.

"Fuck do you guys ever stop?" I heard Tamsin's gruff voice cut through my happy haze.

I turned to her while holding Lauren firm against me, "Go watch TV with Hale if it bothers you so much. He just ate lunch and he pretty much took care of himself today. He was getting insanely bored so I hooked up the TV that was sitting in the room."

I watched as Tamsin got up without a word and walked out of the room. I turned back to Lauren and she was giving me a look.

"What?" I asked a bit confused.

Lauren leaned in close and lowered her voice, "I think she is jealous Bo."

I looked at her with complete surprise, "Jealous? Of what? Us? She doesn't have feeling for you or me I don't think. Does she –"

Lauren cut me off with a chaste kiss as she shook her head and gave me a small smile, "No Bo. I think she is envious of our relationship in a general sense. I think she wants what we have. She did once and it ended badly. I don't think she ever fully recovered from that."

I thought about what Lauren said. It never dawned on me that Tamsin could feel that way. I knew about her past with Dyson but it didn't occur to me that she would still be so affected by it. She was one of my closest friends and yet I was completely clueless. It was something I vowed in that moment to fix as soon as I could.

I smiled at Lauren, "I think you're right. I'll talk to her. I can't believe I missed what now seems so obvious. I'm supposed to be her friend."

She placed her hand on the side of my neck, "Don't beat yourself up Bo. We have all been very scattered and preoccupied. Talk to her when you can if you think that is best."

I nodded, "Thank you for taking the time off work today. I know you really can't afford to be away from work this week."

She moved her hand down my side, "It is hectic yes but this is just as important. Don't worry about it. How is your back and your side? The bruises and cut on your face are healing nicely. You can hardly tell someone punched you in the face."

She smirked as I helped her stand up as I stood, "I don't know. Take a look."

She turned me around and lifted the back of my shirt and then pulled the bandage away from my side.

"Everything is really healing quickly. The only thing I think will leave a scar is the wound on your side." She placed the bandage back down on my skin and then dropped my shirt.

I turned back around and wrapped my arms around her waist, "Help yourself to anything you want if you are hungry. I will be here pretty much the rest of the day in case Kenzi needs anything."

She nodded and whispered, "I will." She leaned in and kissed me before unwrapping herself from my embrace and walking into the kitchen to fix her lunch.

Kenzi POV

"Ok BoBo I installed a RAT and punched a hole through their edge firewall and router. I noted all the security cameras I have passed through already and will erase any footage that I appeared in from the house. It is thirty minutes after five and I have been watching the building empty out of most employees though I know this is a 24 hour shop. I have pulled old footage from yesterday and am now looping the feeds across the entire building except the tenth floor. That floor is on a separate circuit. I can view the feed but I can't loop it from here. It doesn't appear Hansen was in the office today. The fact that shit probably hit the fan since everything went to hell for him yesterday, it makes sense that he wouldn't be here. Probably on damage control….or hiding."

Bo told me to be careful as I packed up my laptop and exited the server room. The building was ten stories tall and Michael Hansen's office was on the top floor along with other company executives. Checking the security camera feeds the top floor executives vacated the building at about four. It must be nice to be on top. Come and go as you please. Then again I owned my own company and did the exact same thing. For some reason though this just felt different. I wondered if the top guys in this company knew that the owner and CEO was rotten and corrupt.

I reached the stairs and started my trek up to the tenth floor. All the security locks on the tenth floor were on a separate circuit just like the cameras. I finally got to the door that would allow me entrance to where I needed to go. It had a security panel on the outside. I pulled my laptop out of my bag and connected a console cable to the Ethernet port. I pried the panel off the wall and was careful not to pull the wires to the point they would break. I let the panel hang by the wires while I connected the other end of the console cable to the port inside the wall.

Once I was connected I typed in the commands that would auto release the lock on the door. I pulled the door open and held it with my foot so it wouldn't close and reengage. I disconnected my laptop and replaced the panel to the wall.

I entered the floor and looked around for any type of telecommunications closet or small office that would house the systems and wiring that ran the locks and cameras on this floor. I recalled on the blueprints that it would be to my left down the end of the hall. I started down the hall, well aware that I was in several camera's line of sight and could only pray the security guards downstairs were not paying attention. I found the telecommunications closet which was locked and needed a key. It wasn't the usual electronic panel that I could hack.

I pulled the lock pick set that Bo stuffed in my bag last night as a last minute thought. I would not have thought to bring something like this. I assumed everything would be run electronically but I was wrong.

I never thought I would be happy I ran with the crowd I did in high school before I discovered my love of technology until now. I got myself in a world of trouble with that group that Bo had to bail me out of but I finally found one benefit to that period in my life. The knowledge of how to pick a lock.

I went to work on the lock and had it open in no time. It was like riding a bike – you never forget. It was all in the feel of the tumblers. I stepped into the room and went straight to work. I logged into one server that housed the security footage and wiped out anything that showed me entering the tenth floor and then I looped the feed. I moved to the next server and ran a hack that disengaged all the door locks for every office on this floor.

Once I was done I headed back out of the room and turned left and headed down another hallway. At the end of the hallway was a huge corner office that I knew belonged to Hansen. His name was on the door and it was the largest office on the floor according to the blueprints. I opened the door and looked inside. It was empty.

I entered the office completely and shut the door behind me. I went straight for his desk and found only the docking station for a laptop. I figured he had the laptop with him. I told Bo what I found so far and she told me to start searching drawers and cabinets.

I looked at the area around me and saw several locked cabinets and drawers. If I was going to store important information in hard copy form I would want it locked up. I pulled the lock pick set out again and started picking the locks on all the cabinets but found nothing that fit what we were looking for. I had found expensive whiskey and some high end electronics but nothing that seemed of great import.

I moved on to the drawers around the desk and started picking locks. One the first drawer I got open I found several file folders. I picked them up and spread them out in front of me. I opened each folder and started looking at the documents inside.

My stomach dropped when I saw what I had found. I didn't completely understand what I was looking at but I saw documents regarding the two largest oil companies in the United States, stock projections, information regarding OPEC, Iran and some stuff describing upstream and downstream oil and gas sectors.

I relayed what I found to Bo and I heard her talking to someone in the background. When she came back on the line she told me to start scanning and uploading the documents so Lauren could start looking into them.

I pulled the handheld scanner out of my bag and connected via USB to my laptop. I started scanning every document in each folder. Once I was done I uploaded the information to my FTP server so Bo, Lauren and Tamsin could retrieve the information.

Lauren POV

I politely asked Bo to let me take a seat so I could pull down the information Kenzi had uploaded. I quickly went through each document as it came in and the puzzle pieces started to come together. I was seeing the bigger picture right in front of me and it all finally made sense.

I turned to Bo and told her to relay to Kenzi that we had what we needed and she should put everything she found back where it was and get out of the building as safely as possible while leaving little to no trace behind that she was there.

I got up from the desk as Bo relayed my message. Once she was finished I looked from Tamsin to Bo and then said, "I know what they are trying to do."


	16. Chapter 16

Didn't really like how this chapter flowed. It was rough getting the words out so if it totally sucks I apologize for that. It feels choppy to me. Anyway thank you to everyone for the favs/follows/reading/reviews.

Kenzi POV

When I was finished I put everything back exactly how I found it and packed my stuff into my bag so I could make my great escape. I left the office while telling Bo that I was on my way out. She told me to be careful and that she was going to stay on the line with me until I was safely back in my car and on the road for home.

As I made my way back down the hallway a realization dawned on me and I wanted to kick myself. The security system on this floor was on a separate network than the rest of the building and I had no way to hack into this part of the network after I leave the building to unloop the cameras as I had planned to do for the rest of the building. I had a choice to make and I knew I needed to make it quickly. It wouldn't be long before the guards downstairs realized they weren't monitoring security feeds that were in real time and it would raise an alert. I could leave the cameras looped or knock the system offline and then make my way down the stairwell and out of the building before security could investigate why their monitoring of this floor suddenly went offline. I didn't want to tell Bo about my little dilemma because I knew she would do nothing but worry. I didn't need her brand of worry at this moment in time.

I decided I would take the system offline. It was easier to explain away an overloaded circuit or lose power cable than have the IT department discover looped feeds. I entered the communications closet and traced the cables of the specific servers I needed to pull offline and found they led to an Eaton 9170+ 3 Slot System 3kVA L14-30P PW3S3K-LPD. Essentially the mother lode of battery backup systems. I didn't know why I was even surprised. I pulled out my laptop and hooked into the system and reversed the work I did earlier bringing the cameras back online in real time. I then proceeded to loosen the server power cables from the Eaton 9170+ just enough to cut power to those specific servers. I knew tampering with the power cables would look like sabotage which essentially defeated the purpose of coming into RNC completely undetected but I didn't know what else to do. As an afterthought I turned on my laptop's Tracking and Recovery software before closing it and tossing it back into my bag. I wasn't sure why I felt compelled to do that but it felt right in the moment.

I made my way out of the communications closet locking it behind me. I headed back the way I originally came in and entered the stairwell while filling Bo in that I was making my way down to the first floor.

I had reached the eighth floor landing when I heard security in the stairwell moving their way up to my location. I tapped my badge against the card reader on the wall to try and gain entrance to the floor and out of the stairwell but it was all for not. I didn't create an all access badge and this was a floor that I wasn't authorized to enter. I knew I wouldn't have time to pull my laptop out and hack the lock and it was upon that realization that my heart sank and my gut twisted.

I leaned my back against the door and waited. I was caught. I knew that getting out and getting home to hack back in and unloop the rest of the building's cameras and deleting any footage the cameras caught of me during the course of the day was the least of my problems. As I heard the guard rounding the stairs one floor down I whispered to Bo that I was in a corner that I wasn't going to make it out of.

Tamsin POV

I watched as Bo stopped pacing and started to say Kenzi's name over and over before trying to dial her number again. I could hear the panic in her voice and see it in her stance. I got up and started to walk over to her when Lauren turned and grabbed her arm, "What's wrong Bo?"

She turned to Lauren but it was like she was looking through her instead of at her when she whispered, "Kenzi said she wasn't going to make it out and then….and then the line went dead."

I closed my eyes when I heard those words. I had prayed to whatever and whoever would listen that this exact scenario wouldn't happen. If anything happened to Kenzi then all hell would rain down on earth. No one and nothing would be safe – consequences be damned. I knew this for fact.

Lauren got up from where she was sitting and rounded the chair so she could face Bo but she pulled away saying, "I am going to go get her."

Bo side stepped Lauren and went to grab her keys when I spoke, "Bo slow down. We don't know what happened or even if she will still be at the RNC building when we get there."

I looked at her with pleading eyes when she snapped her head around to look at me, "We?"

I moved forward and grabbed her keys before she could pick them up, "Yes. I'm coming with you but think first. Is there any other means to get in touch with her or track her?"

Bo stood motionless for what seemed like eternity looking at the floor before she answered, "Not by phone. You know we can't get a location on her using these phones. I tried calling her back but there was no answer. The only thing I can think of is this GPS tracking software thing on her laptop but I know she likes to keep that turned off," she looked at me, "Tamsin I don't know what to do."

It broke my heart when she looked at me and I saw the desperation in her eyes. I could hear her voice break despite her efforts to sound unaffected, "What is this GPS tracking software you are talking about. Isn't it worth a try to just check? I've never heard of it. Do you know anything about it?"

She turned and walked over to the desk and sat down in front of the computer and started pulling up an application I wasn't familiar with, "Kenzi showed it to me once upon a time. It's free software she downloaded onto her laptop in case it ever got stolen. I don't know why she doesn't leave it running but it allows the laptop owner to track their computer through Wifi auto connect, GPS and Wifi geolocation. We just launch the application here, enter the authentication key and if it is running on her laptop we can track its location over the Internet."

I shoved Bo's keys in my pocket as I joined Lauren and watched Bo over her shoulder as she tried to check and see if Kenzi had the forethought to enable this GPS tracking on her laptop. I knew it was a long shot but I needed Bo to step back for a moment and slow down. She could be so impetuous and it was dangerous for everyone involved.

I waited with Lauren as we stood behind Bo, exchanging uneasy glances at each other. I knew she was just as worried as I was for more reasons than I could put together at the moment.

Bo literally jumped and then turned to us as she pointed at the screen, "Here! Look. This shows her laptop on Interstate 66 running west from D.C into northern Virginia."

She stood and grabbed her phone, "I can pull this up on here as well. We can go after her. Well her laptop at least. Let's just hope there together."

I pulled the keys from my pocket as I walked to the front door of the house and pulled it open. I turned back and watched Bo embrace Lauren before she kissed her saying, "You don't mind staying here for now do you?"

Lauren shook her head and said, "No. I want to keep looking through these documents Kenzi sent over. Go get her and bring everyone home safely." I could see and feel the worry radiating from Lauren as she was wishing Bo good luck.

Bo kissed her again and said in an almost excited tone, "We will. I love you. See you soon."

Bo turned and rushed past me through the opened door. I was shocked at what I just heard but I didn't think Bo realized she just professed her love for Lauren. I would have jumped at the chance to tease her but I knew it wasn't the time.

I regarded Lauren who had a dumbfounded look on her face, "Her mind is running a hundred miles an hour right now. I will take care of her and we will be back."

She just nodded at me as I closed and locked the door.

Kenzi POV

"Where are you taking me asshole?" I ground out as I yanked on the handcuffs the security guards placed on me before Michael Hansen arrived to pick me up.

I saw him smirk at me in the rearview mirror as he said nothing. I was cursing myself for leaving the lock pick set in my bag instead of my pocket. My bag was in the front seat while I sat essentially chained up in the back seat with no visible means of escape. I prayed Bo would remember I had the GPS tracking software on my laptop though I knew the chances were slim to none. She was aware I usually kept that software turned off and I knew she was probably panicking right now. I wasn't sure if she would have the awareness about her to think things through and check if I had enabled it. I really didn't understand why I did today but at this point I was not going to question small miracles.

"I suggest you let me go. You have no idea the force that is coming for you if you don't." I said and then realized I let on that I was not alone in this venture.

He laughed, "That is exactly what I was hoping. I figured you weren't working alone. You have to be part of the group that has been messing with my plans and I intend to find out. I know you have an NSA analyst working with you but who else? Every step of the way someone has been present with knowledge of what I am doing."

I glared at him, "Don't say I didn't warn you when you wake up dead you stupid fucker!"

I knew I was letting my temper get the better of me but I was scared and I had no idea if Bo was coming for me. I didn't know if I would ever see her again so I could tell her how much I love her. I didn't know if I would ever see Hale and have our first date or if I would have the chance to pick on Tamsin. I didn't know if I would see Lauren again and become fast friends while she brought so much joy to my sister.

I slumped back it my seat and laid my head back as I closed my eyes trying to regain some composure. I could hear Hansen laughing at me and as much as I wanted to brag that I would have the last laugh I wasn't confident that it was true.

Tamsin POV

I was driving Bo's truck about 120 miles an hour praying again to whoever or whatever that we wouldn't get pulled over. Bo was navigating from the passenger seat and she assured me that the signal was coming through without issue.

We had already left the city and were headed down Interstate 66. I could see the cityscape fading away into open land as the people, cars and traffic dwindled down to almost nothing.

It was getting dark when Bo finally confirmed what I could see for myself, "That car up ahead should be Kenzi."

I gazed over at Bo who looked like she was ready to jump out of the truck. We were getting close and I wanted to have a plan of approach. I started to slow the truck so we were following the car at the pace set for us.

As I kept my eyes forward I asked, "How do you want to do this?"

Bo shoved her phone in her pocket as she let out a sigh, "I don't know. I don't want to wait until we arrive at whatever location we are headed to but if Kenzi is in that car, I don't want to do anything that will get her hurt."

I felt the same way and started thinking out loud, "Shoot out the tires?"

Bo gave me this look like I was crazy, "Hell no Tamsin." She kept shaking her head and I could see her agitation growing.

I nodded and threw out another idea, "PIT maneuver."

She ran both hands down her face and looked over at me nodding, "If you think you can do it then go for it."

I smiled despite the situation as I started pulling alongside the vehicle we believed Kenzi was traveling in. We were driving faster than was really safe to pull this off but the road was empty so we didn't have to worry about other cars getting in the way. I finally got the truck's front wheels aligned with the target's back wheels. We were slowly gaining speed as the driver of the car next to us was aware we were trying to move alongside them. I pulled the truck towards the car making contact with it as I steered sharply into the car as I accelerated even more. The car's rear tires lost traction and started to skid while I continued to turn in the same direction. I watched as the car turned in the opposite direction in front of the truck and spun out.

I slammed on the breaks as I pulled in front of the car and blocked both lanes. Bo and I jumped out of the truck and rushed the vehicle as we saw movement inside. I opened the door to the back seat and found Kenzi laid out on the floor wide eyed but smiling like she was privy to a secret that no one else knew.

I turned to tell Bo that we found Kenzi seemingly unharmed but stopped as I watched her rip open the driver's side door to reveal a man who looked startled but ready to lash out. Bo grabbed him by the back of the head and slammed it against the steering wheel knocking him unconscious.

She moved around the car door and stood next to me and I could see her visibly relax once she laid eyes on Kenzi. She leaned in and helped Kenzi up off the floor and out of the car.

Bo threw her arms around her and started grilling Kenzi with questions, "Are you ok? Did they hurt you? Where was he taking you? What happened?"

Kenzi used her still cuffed hands to push Bo back a bit to get some breathing room.

"Wow BoBo I will answer all your questions but slow down. Can you help me out of these? My lock pick set is in my bag in the front seat." Kenzi asked as she raised her hands into the air.

I climbed into the back and grabbed her bag and pulled it over the seat and out of the car. I rummaged around until I found what I was looking for and then took Kenzi's hands and picked the lock on the cuffs until they released.

Bo grabbed the cuffs and without a word moved back to the now unconscious man. She grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him from the car and he landed on the pavement face down. She took his arms and cuffed his hands behind his back.

She looked up at us both and said, "We need to get out of here. This Interstate isn't busy but someone is bound to come along eventually. We are taking him with us."

I liked the idea of having him in our custody but we really had nowhere we could take him, "Where do you plan on holding him? We can't take him to my place, Kenzi's place, Lauren's house and we are not compromising the safe house in any way."

Bo looked down at the man on the ground seemingly deep in thought until Kenzi spoke up hesitantly, "I know of a place but I don't know what you guys will think about it. Especially you Tamsin."

That peeked my curiosity and I nodded for her to continue, "While I was digging around in the RNC network I saw that Dyson is back in DC renting a house while he transitions out of Iran and into a new position here in the states. We could maybe take him there?"

She looked at me sheepishly and I was struck speechless for a moment. Dyson was back. Dyson was here and I really didn't know what to do with that information at the moment. I lost my breath at the thought of him seeing him. I was also reluctant to accept her suggestion. We had no idea if he was a part of this. He may be back here because he had some role to play in this mess we found ourselves in. Even if he wasn't a part of it he may balk at the idea of holding his current employer against his will no matter the reason.

Somewhere though deep down, despite how things ended I knew he couldn't take part in something like this.

"Do you know where he lives?" I asked feeling my heart start to pound in my chest.

Kenzi grabbed her bag from me and nodded, "I do."

I looked over at Bo for some type of sign but found none. She just looked at me and awaited my decision.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding in that moment and said, "We'll hold him there if we can. Dyson is in for a big surprise." I laughed to try and expel the nervous tension building in the pit of my stomach.

Bo called out, "Kenzi get in the truck. Tamsin help me carry this asshole."

It didn't take us long to get Hansen into the backseat of the truck. Once we had him secure Bo climbed into the driver's seat and I hauled myself up on the other side with Kenzi sitting between us. Bo turned the truck around and started to follow the direction that chirped out of the navigation system after Kenzi programed it with Dyson's address.

Bo called Lauren informing her we were all safe but that we had Hansen in our custody and we were taking him to Dyson's house without forewarning. I'm not sure what Lauren said to Bo but the call ended quickly after that. Once we started on our way Kenzi filled us in, "So I got caught by security in the stairwell of the building. They escorted me down to the first floor and pulled up the employee profile I created. They called the person I had listed as my direct superior and that is when things kind of went to hell. Obviously I wasn't vouched for so they called Hansen and told him they had found me in the stairwell after the security feeds went down on the tenth floor. About ten minutes later he showed up and well you guys know the rest."

Everyone fell quiet until Kenzi shot out a question, "Bo you're not going to torture this guy are you? He may be an asshole but I don't think I can stand behind that."

Bo shot Kenzi a dirty look before answering while I smirked at the whole conversation, "Of course not. What is it that you think I did all these years? I'm really just an information broker of sorts and this guys has information we need. I'm going to get it but if I can't I'm certainly not going to extract it from him using violence. If we can't get him to tell us what we need then I am sure we can use him some other way. We can talk all of this over with Lauren once we know where we stand."

Bo drove faster than she should have considering we had an unconscious beat up and confined man in the back seat of her truck. For all intents and purposes we had kidnapped him and explaining any of it to the police would have been difficult.

As we pulled up into Dyson's driveway I started to feel physically sick. I was angry and embarrassed at how I was reacting to seeing him once again.

I closed my eyes for a moment to gather my thoughts before I spoke, "Stay here and keep an eye on him. I want to approach Dyson alone."

They both nodded as I pulled open the truck door. I crawled out and looked back at them both one more time before I started my way to his front door.

It was dark outside and the light on the porch as on. There was also what looked like a 2015 Ferrari FF pulled up under a carport further up the drive so I assumed he was home. Whether he was alone or not remained to be seen and I found my nerves ramping up even more at the thought of him being with someone.

I rang the doorbell and waited. I heard movement inside before the door swung open revealing the one man I never thought I would see again. He was more handsome than I remembered and time was good to him. We just stared at each other without saying a word. It was as if we were taking each other in.

He seemed to finally find his voice, "Tamsin. What are you doing here?"

The question stung a little but was understandable considering how much time has passed between us. I was the one showing up on his doorstep unannounced.

"I need your help." I admitted and he nodded as he stepped back opening the door wider inviting me to enter.

I walked in and he closed the door behind me.

"Can I get you anything?" He asked while move towards the bar that sat to the right of the main living room.

"No. I really don't have much time so I need you to listen." I explained and then stopped waiting for him to give me the go ahead to continue.

"I'm listening." He sat down at the bar and motioned for me to sit on the bar stool beside him.

I moved to the bar and sat awkwardly as I began, "This is going to sound crazy but trust me when I say it is not. I can fill you in with more details later but long story short is that I stumbled upon some illegal activity among high ranking government officials including the CIA director and the CEO of Rayburn-Northman Corporation. I really don't know who to trust and I am hoping you are still the good man deep down that I once knew and that you are not a part of this."

I paused as Dyson watched me intently. He was taking in everything I was saying but I wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

"I'm not a part of anything Tamsin. I work at RNC but I don't know of any illegal activity. I was heading up the Iran office but accepted a promotion that allowed me to come back to DC. I haven't been here very long. I haven't even found a permanent place yet. I am renting this house for now." He sounded sincere but flashes of our last encounter together hit me fast and hard. I knew only too well how he could turn on a dime.

I continued trying to get this all out before I folded, "I have Hansen in cuffs outside in my friends truck and I need a place to hold him while we figure out our next move."

I cringed internally waiting for him to either laugh or lash out.

He must have either seen how serious I was, heard it in my voice or both because he did neither.

He calmly stated, "Considering I don't know the whole story I am not going to comment on what you are doing but asking me to hold him here makes me accessory to kidnapping."

My initial reaction was to punch him for thinking only of himself but then I realized if someone from my past showed up asking the same thing I probably would have felt just like Dyson was now.

At this point I wasn't too proud to beg, "Dyson please. I really have no one else. I need you."

He was quiet for a long moment before he said, "You promise to tell me everything?"

I nodded as he went on, "God help me but I will help you. What do you need exactly?"

I stood up and let out a sigh of relief, "Do you have a spare bedroom?"

Dyson nodded as I told him what I required, "I need Hansen to stay in your spare bedroom. Keep him fed and hydrated but confined. Just until we figure out our next move. I need him to know as little about us as possible. I realize he will know who you are but if things go as planned there will be bigger things for him to worry about than us keeping him here for a few days."

Dyson nodded, "He is outside you said?"

"Yes. Can you help bring him inside? The bastard is heavy." I asked while walking to the front door and opening it.

He followed me outside and down the drive to the truck. I watched as Bo got out and met us at the front of her vehicle.

I went through short introductions, "Bo this is Dyson. Dyson this is Bo. Hansen is cuffed in the backseat of her truck."

They politely nodded at each other before Bo said, "He's awake."

Dyson stepped away from us walking to the the truck and opening the back door. We watched as he grabbed Hansen by the arm and hauled him out and onto his feet.

Hansen's expression was one of shock, "Dyson. What are you doing?"

Dyson shook his head and pulled Hansen forward to indicate it was time to start walking, "I don't know yet."

Bo and I followed behind the two men as Hansen continued, "Your holding your employer against his will. These women abducted me and apparently brought me to you. How can you not know what you're doing?"

We entered the house and Dyson didn't acknowledge what he was hearing from him boss.

Dyson turned to me and asked, "Do you have the cuff key?"

I shook my head, "No but he might have it on him."

I watched as Dyson patted him down and pulled the key from Hansen's front left pocket. Dyson pushed him again and forced Hansen to sit on the couch in the living room while Bo and I stayed by the door.

Dyson came back to us and said, "I will keep him confined here. I can miss a day or two of work. When do I get the full story on this Tamsin?"

I allowed myself a small smile and asked, "Does tomorrow morning work for you?"

I thought I saw a ghost of smile grace his lips in response to mine, "I guess that will have to do. What now?"

Bo stepped back a bit to allow me the space to speak with Dyson, "We have to go but I will be back first thing in the morning. We'll exchange numbers in case either of us needs anything before then. I will be taking a few days off work this week as well so I promise we will get this resolved soon. Allow you to return back to your life."

I pulled out my phone and asked Dyson for his number. I stored it under my contacts and he did the same for me.

Bo walked outside sensing our need for a moment even though Hansen was sitting only thirty feet away.

I grabbed Dyson's hand for a moment and then let go, "Thank you for this. I know it is a lot to ask without much of an explanation."

He looked like he was going to reach out to me but stopped himself, "I need to take care of him so go. I know you need to and don't worry about it. I trust you'll explain everything tomorrow. I also trust you wouldn't do anything like this without a damn good reason."

"Good night." I said as I walked out the door and out into the night.

Lauren POV

I heard the truck pull into the driveway and I could barely contain myself. I had gone through the documents Kenzi sent three times while putting the pieces together and waiting for them to return.

I stood from the computer desk when the front door opened and looked over each of the women as they walked in. No one had any cuts, fresh bruises or blood on them and that took one worry off my mind.

Kenzi walked past me with a smile and left the living room and I could only assume she was headed in to see Hale.

Tamsin went into the kitchen mumbling that she was hungry and going to make a sandwich. Bo walked up to me and pulled me to her wrapping her arms around my waist. I returned the gesture for a moment before I pulled back.

"What is going on Bo?" I needed answers.

Bo sighed while grabbing my hand and leading me over to the couch. She motioned for me to sit and I did while she followed suit.

"Kenzi got caught by security and Hansen took her into his custody after it was found that she was not employed there. Tamsin and I managed to catch up to them off Interstate 66 following the geolocation from her laptop. Tamsin was able to force Hansen's car off the road without much incident. Kenzi was fine and Hansen was there for the taking. We figured we could maybe get information from him and if not that, maybe we can all put our heads together and figure out a way to use him. So we can finally put an end to this. He is over at Dyson's because we didn't want to bring him here and we knew we couldn't take him to your place. Kenzi and Tamsin's apartments are off limits as well. The whole Dyson thing is another story but we are trusting Tamsin that Dyson will roll with us. Anyway if anyone can turn this to our advantage it's you. You are amazing at putting things together and thinking things through. Unlike me and sometimes Tamsin. I know we didn't run it by you before we took him. Are you angry? Did we do the right thing?"

She grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it before bringing them down to rest in her lap. I was starting to think that we could use this to our advantage. I couldn't miss work tomorrow but if Tamsin and Bo could get anything out of Hansen during the day tomorrow it would be helpful. If that didn't work I saw that he had a meeting scheduled with Director Long and Mark LaGrone at the CXIII Rex Club tomorrow evening. It may be possible to play them against each other. I needed to think more on it but there were possibilities here.

Bo started to pull away and I realized she misunderstood my silence, "No I'm not angry. I think this could be a good thing. We'll talk about it. It's going to be a long night."

Tamsin came back into the living room and sat down in the recliner while balancing two sandwiches on a plate. A moment later Kenzi entered and Tamsin handed her one of the sandwiches as she sat down at her desk and started to empty the bag she had with her today.

I squeezed Bo's hand and stood up. I had a nervous type energy that wouldn't allow me to sit still.

I walked around the coffee table as Kenzi asked, "Are you going to fill us in Hotpants?"

I laughed a little at the given nickname before I nodded to no one in particular as I started my theory on what I found, "As we well know Director Long was embezzling money from the Intelligence budget using James Kokemor to move it offshore. The money was placed into three different accounts. One account was already used to pay for the assassination of the President which was stopped. From what I can figure out it seems Vice President Hill wanted to move into that position of power. From there he could appoint his Chief of Staff Mark LaGrone as Secretary of State. There had already been backroom deals made between these men and Iran that in exchange for oil the US would allow them to keep their nuclear program. It seems Hansen had also made deals with the two largest oil companies in the US. Trident Oil and CYTA Oil and Gas. Hansen was going to pay them the remainder of the embezzled funds to flood the market with oil—"

Kenzi tugged on my arm interrupting me, "I so don't understand."

I began again revising my explanation, "Once LaGrone became Secretary of State he would work with Dr. Ejike Iyer who is the Iranian member of OPEC to loosen up on exporting oil to the US. Once the US received large quantities of imported oil from the Iran, Trident Oil and CYTA Oil and Gas would flood the market driving oil prices down. By driving oil prices down the stock prices in all US oil companies would also drop, though upstream sectors would be impacted the most. Once some of the smaller oil companies folded and the stock prices in Trident and CYTA were at an all-time low, Hansen and Director Long would buy up stock in both companies. Once this was done, both companies would pull back the oil on the market driving up oil prices which in return drives up stock prices making any stock owner who bought low – very rich."

Kenzi again grabbed my arm to gain my attention and asked, "What do you mean upstream sector?"

I smiled at her and her thirst for knowledge, "The oil and gas industry is usually divided into three major sectors: upstream, midstream and downstream. Trident and CYTA are a part of the upstream sector. If this were to occur upstream companies would be hit the hardest since the cost to produce oil is largely fixed. Once it cost more to produce a barrel of oil than it would be to fetch one on the market, upstream companies would start to incur losses and some would eventually shut down while others would have to cut back on spending such as layoffs and shutting down smaller rigs and wells. Hansen was essentially going to use the remaining money in those two accounts as bribes to manipulate oil prices and mess up the market."

Tamsin shook her head and asked, "I get it. Smart really but what is in it for them really?"

I sat down again next to Bo and answered Tamsin the best I could, "Money and power for one thing. Anything else outside of that I have no idea."

Bo nudge me with her shoulder and gave me a dazzling smile, "You figured out all of that from what Kenzi gathered today?"

I smirked at her while I boasted teasingly, "I did. It seems we have most of the puzzle figured out now. I didn't find anything about contingency plans in case any part of this mess was derailed though."

Kenzi looked at each of us before asking the next obvious question, "What's next?"

I answered her without hesitation or missing a beat, "Let's talk about Michael Hansen."

So there it is. Let me know what you think. If anything is confusing – PM me and let me know. I have several loose ends out there still so…

Next chapter = More Dyson/Tamsin Kenzi/Hale and plans for the next move…


	17. Chapter 17

Thank you for all for reading/reviewing/following and favorites. All of you are just awesome. Thank you for taking the time to read this story and giving it a chance.

A special thank you to bzjz55806.

Lauren POV

Now that we had a tentative plan in place my mind didn't have anything else to do but think about what Bo had slipped out earlier today. I kept replaying that moment in my head over and over again trying to process how it made me feel. I wanted to broach the subject with Bo but I had no idea how to do that. I was not even sure she was aware of what she said. I didn't want to put her on the spot just to have her pull away from me. Nothing about the way this relationship flowed was normal and I found that I liked it that way. I didn't enjoy the mess we were in but the personal things between me and Bo had taken on a life of its own. Normally I would have overanalyzed every word and every action to the point of ruin. I would have found any and every excuse to not pursue the woman or allow her to pursue me and if this had happened in any other way I don't think we would be where we are now. I had known Bo for less than a month but the whirlwind we found ourselves in allowed me the ability to let go and let things be. It scared me but it was also unbelievably refreshing.

I could feel Bo's eyes on me as she glanced from the road to me and back again and I knew she was worried. I had fallen back into my old pattern of retreating into my shell alone with my thoughts and I was aware that that was a side of me Bo had not really experienced yet. I wanted to break the silence but I didn't know how and I was hoping that Bo would do it for me. I smiled when I felt her hand reach across the front seat to grab mine. She laced our fingers together and allowed entwined hands to rest in my lap. She was a person that thrived on physical contact. I was not normally one to show such small gestures of affection and I found myself reveling in it, realizing what I had been missing in my past relationships. What I had been missing all these years as I chose work over basic human companionship.

We pulled into my driveway and Bo grabbed her overnight bag from the back seat while I unlocked the door and turned off the alarm.

Bo was fast behind me and as I shut the door she finally spoke, "Once this is over we can finally pull that tracking chip out of your car."

She turned and smiled at me while I relocked the door and set the alarm for the night.

"That would be nice. I feel paranoid every time I drive my car and I am sure it gets tiring having to play chauffer," I gestured to the kitchen, "can I get your anything?"

Bo shook her head, "I don't mind it Lauren. I didn't mean to sound as if it did."

I sighed and walked over to her realizing this while conversation was taking a wrong turn, "I know that. I am ready to be completely free of this and not have to worry about where I go and when. You bringing me home gives me a way to keep you here for the night." I winked and motioned for her to follow me.

She laughed while trailing behind me to my bedroom, "Oh Lauren don't worry you don't need a way."

The tone of her voice caused a wave of desire to wash over me and I had to close my eyes for a moment to regain my composure. It defied all my logic the affect his woman had over me.

I grabbed a pair of shorts and a shirt to change into as I returned Bo's playful tone, "Oh really now?"

She flashed me the biggest smile I had yet to see from her as she dropped her bag on the floor by the bed and started to remove her clothes for the night. Her smile spoke volumes allowing it to take the place of any words she might have for me.

I changed out of my clothes from today tossing them on to the growing pile I had on the floor of my closet that required a trip to the dry cleaners. That was one thing I always put off until I was down to the bare bones of clean office attire. I hated bringing in and picking up my suits from the cleaners.

Bo was already in the bathroom finishing her nightly routine when I joined her. She had just finished brushing her teeth when I started on mine while she pulled her hair out of the pony tail she kept it in and brushed it out. I loved it when she had her hair down. It flowed and curled naturally at the ends which only added to her beauty, softening her features and framing her face perfectly. There was something oddly domestic about getting ready for bed together and I found myself enjoying the moment. I knew without a doubt I wanted more moments like this.

Bo was already under the covers in bed as I set my alarm for the morning. I glanced over at her and she was on her side facing me, watching my every move with a small smile.

I dimmed the lights and climbed in next to her. I laid on my back and she immediately moved over to rest her head on my shoulder while throwing an arm around my waist.

"Lauren?" I heard the slight trepidation in her voice and it had my mind going a mile a minute.

"Yes?" I answered as I felt tension spread through my body despite my comfortable position.

"Do you still have that gun I gave you?" I could feel her grip on me tighten ever so slightly.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and wondered why she would ask such a question, "Yes. Why do you ask?"

There was a slight pause before she answered me, "I might not always be here and I wanted to make sure you had another line of defense other than the alarm for the house. Just to be safe."

Her words echoed through me - _I might not always be here –_ causing me to turn onto my side so I could look her in the eyes. I really needed her to explain that comment.

"What do you mean exactly?" She gave me a questioning look so I rephrased, "You might not always be here? That sounds a little ominous so please elaborate."

She was now laying on her side as well, mirror opposite of my position, "Putting aside the fact that we don't know what will happen when I turn myself back over to the CIA, I only meant that I might not spend every night over here. Knowing you have some form of protection puts my mind at ease. I don't ever want anything to happen to you Lauren."

I let out the smallest of smiles. I found her protective nature endearing albeit using a weapon against another human being didn't sit well with me. I knew she was referring to self-defense and I did ask her to teach me how to shoot but the whole idea didn't really sit well with me even though the little voice in the back of my head was telling me it was a practical line of thinking.

Intruders may not be deterred by an alarm or they may find a way to disable it. Said intruders could be armed hence arming myself would be a logical idea in that type of situation. It might be a little naïve but I didn't want to think about such things or my response to it.

I wanted to change the subject completely. I bit my bottom lip to brace myself as I sucked in a breath in preparation for my own line of questioning, "Did you mean what you said to me earlier today Bo?"

I watched her intently as she stared at me quietly. She didn't show any sign of recognizing what I was referring to. It was in that moment I knew beyond doubt that she said she loved me without thought of the actual words. I wasn't sure if I should be flattered or offended. Then again I wasn't being very forthcoming in what exactly I was referring to.

I placed my left hand on her cheek and she turned to kiss my palm. I sensed she was waiting for me to explain and I knew that I should.

"Before you left to get Kenzi you told me you loved me."

She narrowed her eyes in thought as she grabbed my hand from her face and held it between us. I waited patiently for her to process through the day. I knew her mind had been scattered and the eventual panic she felt when Kenzi was taken didn't really allow for measured thinking. This was really the first chance we had at any real down time and I started to feel a little guilty for bringing it up considering the long and stressful events that occurred.

I was about to tell her to forget it when she spoke, "I do remember. I did say that. It slipped out and I think that means it to be true. While we have a long way to go, while we just started this journey together, please know that I am wholeheartedly falling for you."

I couldn't stop the idiot grin that formed at her words. I wasn't ready to make such declarations and I believe Bo in her roundabout way was saying the same thing. Nonetheless I reveled in her words while knowing I felt the exact same way.

It was yet another one of those moments that I wanted to tuck away for safe keeping. Another type of moment I wanted to have again and again with each new day.

I didn't want to ruin it with anymore words. Instead I decided to show her that the feeling was mutual. I moved myself forward forcing her onto her back. I laid my weight down on her enjoying her beneath me but hating the cloth boundary between us. I leaned down and kissed her pouring everything into it savoring how she responded to me.

Kenzi POV

Tamsin went to bed and Bo left with Lauren so I knew it was time for my virtual date with Hale. I was beyond exhausted from everything that happened today but there was no way I was missing out on this. This was going to be the highlight of the day. I needed this for my sanity and for the mere fact that I didn't think I could wait any longer to have some type of romance with my man.

The poor guy was jobless and laid up in bed all day with a damn gunshot wound to his beautifully defined stomach. It was a travesty to say the least and we owned it to ourselves to have a little time together.

I grabbed the left over take out I heated up, the six pack of Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot I snuck out and bought the other day while balancing my laptop on top of the beer.

I pushed the door open to Hale's room and found him wide eyed and watching TV. He looked over at me and smiled that sexy Hale smile and waved me in.

I closed the door with my foot and walked over to the desk. I set everything down when he asked, "Are you sure you're up for this tonight?"

I turned and gave him a mock glare, "Are you trying to weasel your way out of our date?"

He put his hands up in surrender, "Heck no. I just know you had one hell of a day."

I grabbed one of the take out boxes with chop sticks and a beer and walked it over to him, "Exactly. Which is all the more reason to do this."

He took the beer and set it on the windowsill while digging his chop sticks into the food. I moved my laptop over to the TV, hooking it up so we could watch DVDs. Once done I hit play on the disc I already put in the drive and waited to make sure it displayed up on the screen.

"What did you decide on for the feature movie?" He asked as the FBI warning popped up on the screen screaming about pirating movies.

I walked back over to the desk grabbing my own beer and food and came back to sit in the chair by the bed, "Only the best horror movie ever made by the brilliant Academy award winning director William Friedkin."

He gave me a questioning look as he started to eat his food now that I was settled next to him, "OH come on Hale. If we are going to date you better learn your horror movies and fast. I mean it. The Exorcist. Tell me you've seen it."

I took a drag off my beer as the opening scene began when he answered, "Actually no I never have."

I was stunned. I had so much I needed to teach this man. "Then pay attention. Consider this lesson number one in horror movie classics."

By the middle of the movie Hale and I were laughing so hard we were in tears. That is what I loved about horror movies. I always knew who the killer was or how the plot was going to play out. Watching the movie from beginning to end was just an added bonus. Seeing how the end came to be. Hearing Hale laugh along with me was music to my ears. I was so happy he was enjoying it as much as I was.

By the end of the movie Hale had one beer under his belt while I had two. We had long ago finished the left over take out and I was feeling a little buzzed from the beer, exhaustion and the pure fun I had with Hale tonight.

He loved the movie and was interested in more movies directed by William Friedkin along with just any other classic horror film. I was excited that he wanted to continue to explore the horror genre with me. I knew he loved to sing and apparently he had one hell of a voice. I had yet to find out but I took his word on it. I longed for this nightmare to be over and for Hale to get mobile so maybe we could go out and have dinner and then karaoke. It would be nice to bond over good food and the silliness that would surely follow us up on a stage while singing a duet or something close to it.

I shut down my laptop and had long since disposed of the empty food cartons and beer bottles while putting the rest back in the refrigerator to keep them cold.

Hale was staring at me and it was making me nervous. It surprised me because I never got nervous but something about Hale brought it out of me.

"So Miss Malikov it seems our night is coming to an end. Did you enjoy our date this evening?"

I wanted to bust out laughing at how formal he was acting, "Why yes Mr. Santiago. I had a wonderful time."

He smiled and winked at me, "When I am moving again I would like to go for a second date. One where we actually get to leave the house. Any thoughts on what you would like to do next time?

I had a lot of thoughts but I pushed those out of the way, "I would love to go to the Alexandria Film Festival. I would also like to hear that voice of yours you like to brag about. Go out for a karaoke night. Maybe take Tamsin, Bo and Lauren. Well maybe not Tamsin. I don't want her to feel like a fifth wheel."

He nodded and took my hand in his, "You never know. She could find someone by then. It would be customary for me to walk you to your door but since we are already in your house I can't really do that. I would love to lean down and give you a good night kiss but I seem incapable of that as well. Mind helping a fella out?"

I stood up while I kept his hand in mine and sat down on the edge of the bed. I had beer breath but so did he so I figured it canceled it all out. I leaned over and kissed him. I felt his hand on my cheek as the kiss moved on to something more passionate. My body was screaming get naked but my mind was yelling slow down. It didn't really matter at this point though as Hale was still injured and any messing around we could be doing was on hold for the time being.

I pulled away and whispered good night and he did the same. I left the room shutting the door behind me. I drug myself down the hall to my bedroom shaking my head because I knew a cold shower was in order.

Tamsin POV

I pulled up into Dyson's driveway and parked behind his ridiculously expensive automobile. Bo would be meeting me here soon but I wanted some time alone to talk to Dyson. It was long overdue. I wanted some answers from him face to face about what happened between us years ago. I had allowed that experience to sour anything new I could have had after that and I needed closure.

When we got back to the safe house last night and went through our basic thoughts and ideas on how we should be moving forward I went to bed. Bo had already left with Lauren and Kenzi was on her date night with Hale. I laid in bed but sleep eluded me. I spun on seeing Dyson again. It was something I was not at all prepared for and the things it brought with it. I was worried maybe I was wrong about him and he was a part of this whole conspiracy and I just handed our best live lead over to him without due consideration. The group was relying on me and trusted me to make the right call on this and I needed to be right. I was scared that if Dyson was ignorant to what his employer was doing then I was essentially dragging him down into the dirt with the rest of us. I was putting his job and his freedom and maybe his life on the line.

These things churned in my head until I couldn't resist calling him. My phone was secure and he assured me his was as well so I felt safe to talk to him freely without the ever present eyes and ears of government prying into our conversation pinging on any key words we might say that would trip red flags to warrant the evasion of privacy.

I filled him in on almost every dirty detail from the beginning until we showed up on his door step. I left out a few choice details but nothing that would take away from what we were really involved with and why we needed his help. I planned on telling him everything this morning but at the time it was easier for me to talk to him while we weren't face to face. He listened and asked questions. He didn't judge or interrupt. By the end of it he told me he was glad to help and he would do what he could for us. At the very least he was shocked at what I told him and he seemed just as upset and disgusted as the rest of us that such things were happening right at the core of our government. It gave me hope that I made the right decision involving him.

Now I sat here outside his home trying to build the courage to get out of my car and knock on his door. Last night on the phone I could tell he wanted to talk about the personal aspects between us but he held his tongue sensing I wasn't comfortable with it. I was grateful that he didn't try to force it and just allowed us to talk business.

I got out of the car and wiped my hands on my jeans. My palms were sweating and it pissed me off. I was a strong woman and my feelings for this man were reducing me to a pile of twisted nerves.

I knocked on the door and waited. It didn't take but a few moments for him to answer the door looking rested and genuinely happy to see me. I on the other hand didn't sleep at all and felt like shit. He opened the door wide and nodded at me to come in.

He went through the pleasantries one does when a guest shows up, offering me something to drink or eat but I declined and instead asked if we could sit for a few minutes.

He led me into the living room and I sat down on the couch while he sat on the coffee table facing me. The close proximity was a bit unnerving but I pushed it down.

I started with the simple question, "How is the house guest?"

Dyson scoffed and shook his head, "Pissed but taken care of."

I chuckled as I could only imagine, "Thank you and thanks for letting me explain everything last night or well early this morning? Whatever. You know what I mean." I was rambling. I don't ramble.

He laughed a little, "Thank you for trusting me enough with this considering how things were left between us though I have to admit it's a lot. You and your friends really found yourselves in the middle of shit."

I shook my head at him. What wonderful phrasing. "It's not like we planned any of this. You know that. What would you have done if you heard that recording?"

"I don't know Tamsin. I really don't. I'm not judging. Please know that. I really mean it that this thing is a bit crazy and you and your friends have managed to handle it quite well so far."

I smiled at his attempt at a compliment. Neither of us spoke and the silence was deafening and the tension was rising.

I was desperately trying to find a way to move into the personal part of the conversation when Dyson beat me to it, "Can we talk about what happened between us back when I was let go from the NSA?"

I bit my lip and nodded. I waited for him to start talking but he never did. I exhaled sharply and began for him, "Which part do you want to talk about? The part where I had nothing to do with the fact that they let you go? The part where your entire attitude flipped on me in the matter of seconds or the part where I never heard from you again after that?"

He looked away from me and started fidgeting, "All of it actually."

He stopped talking again and it frustrated me. The nervousness I felt before was quickly fading to anger. I wasn't a mind reader and I didn't think it was my responsibility to push the entire conversation forward.

"Well out with it then Dyson." I said harshly and I could see him shrink even further into himself.

He took a deep breath and though he still wouldn't look at me he started his explanation, "I know it wasn't your fault they let me go. I know that the testing they put me through showed I wouldn't have been a good fit in the long run. I understand that now. I didn't then. Then I was angry and arrogant. My pride was wounded and I felt inadequate. That was all on me but I took it all out on you. I was horrible to you for absolutely no reason other than I couldn't handle feeling like that and lashed out as a way to feel better. I was so ashamed of my behavior that I couldn't face you again. I figured it was better if I just faded into the background. I wasn't man enough to admit I was wrong and I took the easy way out. I just left it instead of trying to own up to it."

I could feel myself wanting to cry but I bit it down, "You ruined a good thing Dyson. You know that right?"

He finally looked at me. That question brought his eyes back to mine and I could see the tears in them, "Yes. I know that more than anything else. I singlehandedly sabotaged the best thing in my life and I'm sorry."

I closed my eyes trying to reign in my emotions, "Thank you Dyson."

"Do you think you could ever forgive me? Forgive me enough to maybe try again?" He asked and I could hear the hope in his voice.

I could forgive him. I knew this. Forgetting was another thing entirely. "I don't know Dyson. Let's just get through this obstacle for now ok?"

He nodded and smiled, "Of course."

Bo POV

I was on my way to Dyson's to meet with Tamsin. This morning Lauren and I shared a wonderfully intimate shower together before having a quiet breakfast. Spending the night and morning with her like we did filled me with so much want for her and for a normal life that I could barely breathe.

When Lauren asked me if I remembered telling her I loved her I was completely caught off guard. I honestly didn't remember until she brought it up in bed though it only took me a moment to pinpoint the exact moment she was referring to.

At the time my mind was so focused on Kenzi that when I was issuing my goodbye to Lauren I let out the words that felt natural to me without a second thought. To me that spoke volumes on how I really felt about her at my very core. I was falling for her and I knew she felt the same. I wanted a normal life and I wanted Lauren to be a part of it. I had faith that this was just the beginning of a long journey for us.

Faith didn't take away the tiny nagging voice in my head that kept telling me that I may not be able to come back to her after this was over and it would not stop gnawing. This bothered me. It made me wonder if someone could have faith and still have a nagging doubt. This seemed so contradictory. I wasn't sure if it was really doubt I was feeling or just the fact that I knew it was a possibility that once the CIA got their hands on me again I would be lost. I would worry about it when the time came. I didn't want to taint the time I had now with what ifs.

I was tired but it didn't bother me. The night Lauren and I spent together kept the exhaustion at bay. I had never had anyone make love to me like Lauren did last night. The entire world disappeared and I was the center of her universe and her of mine. She took me in such a way that my body still hummed with it this morning and only intensified when we shared our time together in the shower. It as a part of me that wasn't fading out as the minutes ticked by. It was a feeling I wanted to hold on to for as long as possible.

I arrived at Dyson's and saw that Tamsin was already here. It didn't surprise me in the least. I figured she would want to talk to him without me lingering around in the background. I hoped whatever they needed to talk about outside of the current situation was done as I didn't want to be the one to interrupt such a personal and long overdue conversation. I felt guilt wash over me as I thought about Tamsin. I hadn't had a real conversation with her since this whole thing started and it seemed Lauren and even Kenzi saw things that were bothering Tamsin while I remained clueless. It was something I needed to make right.

I knocked on the door and I heard Dyson yell that the door was open. I was a little irritated that he didn't check who was at the door but I walked in anyway and saw them finishing up breakfast. There wasn't really any tension between them and I took that as a sign that they were able to talk through some of their stuff this morning.

Dyson addressed us both, "Hansen is down that hall last door on the right. I'll be in the garage if you need me."

With that he grabbed a bottle of water and left Tamsin and me alone.

I shoved my hands in my pocket feeling oddly nervous, "Did you guys get to sort through some things?"

She came over after placing her empty bowl in the sink and smacked me on the arm, "Yep. We talked last night and this morning about our past and why Hansen is here."

I grabbed her arm as she walked by me and she turned to me looking annoyed and confused, "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" She asked.

I let go of her arm, "For not noticing that you were in pain. That you were burdened down with something and I never asked what it was."

She laughed, "Have we ever been the type of friends who dump our personal shit on each other?"

I smirked at her, "No but that doesn't mean we can't be so accept the apology and know I'm here if you ever want a friend like that ok?"

Her expression softened and she issued a genuine smile, "I know that. Now come on."

We walked into the room Dyson pointed out to us. Hansen was bound to a chair against the wall next to a window that had the shades drawn shut. The room was very plain. Just a single bed with a nightstand that housed a digital clock with a desk in the corner.

Hansen had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep and one hell of a bruise and gash on this forehead where I slammed his head into the steering wheel.

He smirked at me, "You're the bitch that knocked me out." Despite his current circumstances he was very smug and condescending.

I gave him my best smile, "I am. I am also the bitch who has fucked you every step of the way. I don't think that felt too good for you."

Tamsin laughed at that and sat down on the bed crossing her arms across her chest. I remained standing leaning my shoulder against the wall.

He shook his head, "If you had anything real against me you wouldn't be keeping me here."

I hated playing word games where I had to dance around to try and keep an advantage, "Really?"

He laughed, "Yes really."

"If you say so." I shrugged my shoulders as if bored with this whole conversation.

He looked at Tamsin and then back at me but said nothing.

"I know all about your plans. I have the proof as well. I have a senator in my pocket who has just the very best relationship with the Attorney General. While your buddies are making deals and selling you out you are sitting here with me." I laid out that bread crumb to see if he would bite.

"Are you talking about that bitch Senator Lewis? The one who kept nagging about inconsistencies in the Intelligence budget?" He spit out the words and my blood boiled. It angered me to hear him refer to Lauren in such a way and he was lucky I was turning over a new leaf or I would have proceeded to beat the shit out of him.

I couldn't pull my anger back fast enough and I knew he saw it which only confirmed his theory, "So it is Senator Lewis. Good to know."

Tamsin spoke up on my behalf sensing I was ready to throw a punch, "Not that you are in any position to do anything about it."

He took a hard look at her before speaking, "I know you. You're an NSA analyst."

I couldn't hold in my smile. This man was revealing a lot more than he realized albeit it was information we already knew he was aware of. Maybe he knew that and didn't care.

I pushed off the wall and took a step closer to him, "Since you seem to know everything Mr. Hansen maybe you can shed some light on something that has been nagging me for the last few days. James Kokemor was found dead in his apartment. Did he really kill himself or did you send one of your men to take care of it and stage it as a suicide?"

Lauren had found out through office talk that James had 'kiledl himself' over the weekend. I had Kenzi check the police file and the medical examiner ruled it a suicide. I really had no idea if the guilt finally ate away at him and he did indeed take his own life or if Hansen was tying up more loose ends.

I doubted he would tell me the truth but I had to ask.

Hansen feigned confusion, "I have no idea who or what you're talking about."

I turned to Tamsin, "You ready? We have that meeting to get to with the Attorney General. We gave this asshole a chance to help himself."

Tamsin stood up and walked to the door as I followed with Hansen trying to get the last word, "Good luck ladies."

When we stepped back into the living room Tamsin let is out, "That guy is such an asshole."

I had to laugh. It was true. "Lauren is meeting the AG this afternoon. Depending on what happens with him are you ready for tonight if need be?"

Tamsin scoffed as if offended by my question, "Fuck yeah I'm ready."


	18. Chapter 18

Lauren POV

My stomach ached and my heart pounded as I waited outside the Attorney General's office. I had known Brian from my days at Yale. We were in several classes together and even a few study groups. I considered him a friend during those days in school but as friendships go, as life moves on, we were really nothing more than acquaintances now.

Kenzi and I had compiled all the evidence we had gathered and it now sat in my briefcase at my feet. Everything we had was obtained illegally and I wasn't sure what Brian's reaction to that would be. I fidgeted nervously as I kept throwing glances at his assistant wondering when I would be able to see Brian and get out of this awful waiting area.

I jumped when I heard his office door open and he stepped out greeting me kindly, "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit today Senator Lewis?"

He extended his hand as I stood up and I shook it responding, "Please its Lauren to you. We go too far back to be so formal for such an informal meeting."

He let go of my hand and I bent down to pick up my briefcase. He motioned for me to enter his office and he followed behind me closing the door. "Very well Lauren. What can I do for you today?"

"I have something I need to show you off the record. Do you mind if we sit?" I asked as I moved towards the set of chairs that faced his desk.

He rounded his desk and sat down facing me as he said, "Please sit. I must admit you have my curiosity piqued. Do you need anything before we start? Water? Coffee?"

I smiled as I sat down declining this offer, "No I'm fine but thank you."

I leaned down and opened my briefcase pulling out a USB drive that held all the audio recordings, Intelligence budget discrepancies and information that Kenzi was able to copy when she broke into RNC.

I handed it over to Brian, "Please take a look at this."

He graciously accepted the drive and connected it to the USB port on his computer. I closed my briefcase and situated myself into a more comfortable position while I waited for him to view the information I handed over to him.

I watched him intently as he listened to the recordings and read through the files we copied from Hansen and the budget report. I was trying to gauge his reaction but he gave nothing away. It seemed the ability to hide ones reaction was a skill that everyone in the political world had mastered.

A half hour passed before Brian finally turned his full attention to me and I braced myself for the onslaught of questions I knew was coming my way.

He shook his head and asked, "Where did you get this?"

I let out a breath to steady my voice, "It was provided to me anonymously but I am taking this very seriously."

He laughed incredulously, "How do you know this isn't some elaborate hoax? What exactly are you expecting me to do with this?"

I couldn't reveal Tamsin, Bo's or Kenzi's involvement without opening a door to a world of trouble for them. I knew we needed this conspiracy stopped and they were willing to take the fallout to make that happen but it was a means to an end that I was not willing to take. They all told me to do what was needed, that they understood the consequences. I knew it wasn't my place to make the decision for them since they shared their wishes with me to divulge whatever information was required to bring this to an end but I did it anyway.

I went out on a limb and named myself instead, "I know it isn't a hoax because the budget information on that drive was provided by me. What I expect is for you to open a formal investigation against these men and put a stop to this."

Brian handed the drive back over to me, "I can't do that. We can't authenticate the recordings under the Federal Rule of Evidence 901 (A). Without anything or anyone to verify that what is in those files is real, my hands are tied. You said this was provided to you anonymously but I honestly don't believe you. So if you know something that can help me open a legitimate investigation into what is on that drive, please do otherwise I'm afraid we are done."

This was a long shot and I lost. At least for now. I placed the drive back into my briefcase and stood up getting ready to leave.

"Thank you Brian for your time." I said gathering my things to make my exit.

He stopped me as I was about to open the door, "I believe this is real Lauren. We have known each other long enough that I know you wouldn't bring this to me if you had any doubt of its legitimacy but I that just won't cut it. Please give me something I can use."

I opened the door and turned to face him, "In time Brian. Thank you for seeing me." With that I walked out and shut the door.

I was frustrated but I had a feeling this was exactly how this meeting would go. I could have shared the whole sordid ordeal with him but dragging everyone's name into it still didn't guarantee a formal investigation and it would only bring hell down on the people I cared about.

Once I was in my car to head back to my office I called Kenzi, "Release it all to your media sources. It's time to show a force of hand."

Tamsin POV

I was sitting in the living room of Dyson's house with Bo when Kenzi called. She told me Lauren gave the go to have all the evidence released to the media. Kenzi had done some work with one of the major news networks here in DC and as she does on all her jobs, she made friends in very high places.

It wouldn't take but a few hours and this whole mess would be smeared through the media via an anonymous source. Kenzi had already given advance warning to her media friends that she would possibly have a story they wouldn't be able to refuse. Obviously the condition for such a story was anonymity and with that a deal was struck.

I relayed the information to Bo and then she left to head back to the safe house. Now that things were in motion she was preparing for her inevitable return to the CIA. It was such a huge unknown and I knew she wanted to take Lauren on one proper date before she stepped foot back in Langley and accepted whatever consequence came along with that decision.

I wanted to speak to Hansen one more time before I left as well, when Dyson came back in from the garage, "Did your friend leave?"

I stopped when I heard his voice. I turned to face him as I propped myself up against the wall, "She did. I need to go as well but I wanted to speak with Hansen for a moment. I promise Dyson that this is almost over."

I watched as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water, "Don't worry Tamsin. I will keep an eye on him for another day or so if that is what you need."

It was so difficult to keep my distance from him when he was being so understanding and thoughtful, "That's really all we need Dyson."

I turned and headed down the hallway. I needed to be away from him. He was sweaty from working outside and with his sweet smile and messy hair it was making me ache to even look at him. I just couldn't let myself go back there. At least not yet. Maybe not ever. I pushed it out of my mind for the moment. I didn't need the distraction.

I entered the room we were keeping Michael. I could see he was making a huge effort to appear uncaring and unafraid.

I couldn't imagine that he wasn't but I certainly could be wrong. He smirked at me and asked, "Where is your friend?"

I crossed my arms over my chest and replied, "Taking care of things. I just wanted you to know that all the evidence we have of you and your co-conspirators has been released to the media."

He laughed and shook his head, "And that is supposed to what? Scare me? If you had anything real or substantial then this so called evidence would be in the hands of the US Attorney General."

My turn. "Who says it isn't? While you're tied up here, all your little friends are making deals as we speak. That leaves you as the odd man out. The one to take the brunt of the fallout. Think about what it is you are about to lose. Think about what is most precious to you and know that it will be taken from you."

I could actually see fear in his eyes but his face remained unchanging. He remained like that until I turned to leave when he said, "Fuck you bitch!"

I didn't turn around or acknowledge the comment. I walked out and shut the door knowing we had finally gotten under his skin.

Bo POV

I called Lauren on the way home and to make sure she would be free this evening. I had a surprise for her and I made plans to pick her up at seven. I knew we spent almost every evening together but I was nervous so this fact didn't occur to me until after we disconnected the call. It was then that it dawned on me why she sounded so odd when I was speaking with her.

I made my way to my bedroom and picked out what I was going to wear for this evening. Once I finally settled on something I liked I showered and changed the bandage on my side. My wound was healing nicely now that I wasn't jumping fences or getting my ass kicked.

Once I was ready I sat down at the old wooden desk that was against the wall and pulled out three sheets of paper. If everything went the way we wanted I would be turning myself in by tomorrow afternoon. I thought writing a letter to Tamsin, Lauren and Kenzi would be my best route.

Tamsin had really been my only constant friend over the last several years. It wasn't something I ever thought about until she called me home for help. It was only then I realized it wasn't the quantity but the quality of friendship in one's life that really mattered and I knew without doubt that I was blessed.

I began my words to her:

 _Tamsin,_

 _I wanted to write this just in case the worst scenario possible actually happened. If it does then I probably won't ever see or speak to you again. With that said I wanted you to know that even though our friendship is outside of anything that could be considered normal, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I know you aren't really the heart to heart type but I needed you to know this. I hope you find the peace you have been looking for but has alluded you through the years since Dyson broke your heart. If you don't reconcile with him I do hope you find someone to share yourself with because you are an amazing woman and that shouldn't be hidden away from the world. Please take care of Kenzi and Lauren for me. I trust no one else to do that job._

 _Sarah_

I signed the letter with my real name. This was from me and signing it using any one of my aliases just didn't make it real. I folded the letter and stuffed it into one of the envelopes I found in the desk drawer. After sealing it I wrote Tamsin's name on the front and set it aside.

I had so many things I wanted Kenzi to know but never told her or if I did then at this moment it felt like I didn't say it enough. I only hoped I could convey it all to her through my written words when my spoken ones failed.

I began to write:

 _Kenzi,_

 _This is a just in case letter. There are some things I need you to know. First I want you to know that I love you. You are the best crazy little Russian sister I could ever have. Growing up with you by my side as my sister and best friend made my life complete and I know without doubt that I am the luckiest person in the world. The second thing I want you to know is that I am so very proud of you. You have grown into a wonderful, talented, funny, caring, successful woman. Everything you have - you earned and it has been amazing to watch you grow into the person you are now even if I wasn't always around to witness it firsthand. I want you to know that I'm sorry I wasn't more present in your adult life. Yes my job kept me on the move but I suppose I always did have the power to leave my job and come home to spend more time with you but I didn't. That is something I will always regret and I hope you can forgive. I am also so very happy for you and Hale. He is a wonderful man and you both are so suited for each other. If for some reason things don't work out then I know you will find the one that is best for you._

 _Sarah_

I folded the letter and stuffed it into an envelope. After sealing it I wrote Kenzi's name on the front and set it with Tamsin's letter.

I had one more letter to write.

 _Lauren,_

 _If you are reading this a month has gone by and I am still not home. I want you to know that the time we got to spend with each other meant everything to me. You helped me open my heart again and see the possibilities of what that could mean. I also feel I may have done the same for you. You also helped me see that there was more to me than my job and the things I did for it. You once told me that you were closed off to the idea of love due to your career and past hurts. I pray you no longer feel that way. I say that because there is a real possibility that I am gone and I want you to move on and find another that you can share your life with. You are an incredible woman. So smart and beautiful. So kind, caring and compassionate. There is a fire in you that shouldn't be locked up but shared with another person. The world is a better place because of you and I am better for knowing you._

 _With all my love,_

 _Bo_

I was Bo when Lauren met me so that was how I signed my letter. I folded Lauren's letter and placed it in an envelope as I did the others. After I wrote her name on the front I grabbed all three and stuffed them into my back pocket. I exited the bedroom to head for the kitchen. I wanted to pack some things for this evening as I was taking Lauren to my special spot. It was secluded and a wonderful place to be alone and outdoors. I knew I couldn't take her out to a public venue so for the time being a nice dinner outside while watching the planes take off from Dulles would have to do.

As I turned the corner from the hallway to the living room I almost ran straight into Tamsin. She tried to move past me but I stopped her, "Tamsin I need a favor."

She looked at me skeptically and asked, "What is it?"

I pulled the letters from my back pocket and handed them over to her, "There is a letter there for you and one for Kenzi and Lauren. After I turn myself over to the agency I don't know what's going to happen. If you haven't heard from me in a month I want you to read your letter and deliver the others to Kenzi and Lauren."

Her eyes softened and she reached out and grabbed my arm with her free hand, "I'll do it but have you considered not going back?"

I knew she was worried even if she would never say it. I smiled, "I am willing to take the risk. If I don't do this I will never be out from under their thumb. That isn't how I want to live. I want a clean slate."

She squeezed my arm before letting go, "I get it. I really do. I have to get ready for my surprise appearance at CXIII Rex."

She walked away and I watched her until she disappeared into the bedroom she was using. I knew she couldn't wait until this was all over and it was safe for her to either go back to her old apartment or find a new one. Considering what happened at her place it wouldn't surprise me if she decided to move to another place altogether.

I flipped on the television while I was packing everything for this evening. I could hear the news buzzing with the leaked information about a scandal within the government that possibly led all the way to the White House. Kenzi's media friend came through.

Tamsin POV

One thing I have learned is that most people are honest but there are some that are always looking to make money one way or another. I sought out the money seekers. While they may think they are taking advantage of me for the money I give them – I am really the one benefiting. Though I suppose that really depends on how you look at the situation and the point of view taken. It very well could be mutually beneficial.

Regardless of who benefitted the most from such transactions I always got what I needed. Tonight was no different and I needed inside of CXIII Rex. For a thousand dollars I found a man who stocked the backroom with cigars and liquor to let me into the side door where deliveries are usually made.

I walked towards the front of the club when I realized I had no idea where I needed to go. I found a waitress that was headed to the bar with empty glasses and pulled her aside. She pointed out a private section across the room and told me I would find the gentlemen I was seeking out over in that area.

I was in luck when I found Robert Long and Mark LaGrone sitting at a table, smoking cigars and sipping expensive scotch. I could feel my anger rising as I watched them.

I announced my presence, "Good evening." I sat down in one of the empty seats as both men turned to see who intruded on their private gathering.

Robert was the first to speak, "This is a private meeting and I don't believe you belong here. If you will excuse us."

I smirked and leaned forward in my seat, "I am exactly where I need to be. If you are waiting on Michael I can guarantee he will not be joining you. I am sure you have heard all the rumblings in the news today. You boys are quite popular."

Mark set down his drink and turned his body to face me completely, "We will be suing the news network for slander. If there was any merit to those accusations then we would be in custody."

I placed my hands on the table palms down, "The thing is – we all know it is true. So where do you think Michael is? If he isn't here with you then maybe you should consider that he is with the US Attorney General selling you out while making a deal of his own."

Robert struggled to keep his temper in check and his voice low, "Michael would never betray us. None of what was said is true but if it were, we do not have a thing to worry about."

What a bunch of cocky assholes. I stood up as I felt I made my point and left with only a few parting words, "If you say so gentlemen. Enjoy your evening."

I walked to the front door without a glance back towards the men I just left. It was all about perception and I could only hope I laid the groundwork this afternoon with Hansen and tonight with the CIA Director and the Vice President's Chief of Staff. Someone would have to break.

Our entire plan counted on it.

Lauren POV

I was up and answering the door almost as soon as I heard the knock on the door. Bo had been very vague on the phone earlier today about our plans for this evening and it got my curiosity running overboard.

When I pulled the door completely open I saw Bo standing on my porch with the brightest smile I had ever seen. She reached out her hand for me to take as she asked, "Are you ready to go?"

I grabbed my jacket and set the alarm before I took her hand and allowed her to lead me out of the house. We walked hand in hand to her truck and she opened the door for me. I was loving the sweet attention she was giving me.

I watched as she walked around the front of the truck and pulled herself up into the driver's seat.

I looked around the truck and saw a huge blanket in the backseat and a basket sitting on top of it. The entire vehicle was filled with a wonderful aroma.

"Bo what is all this?" I asked as she started the truck and backed out of my driveway.

I could see her blush as she kept rapt attention to the road to avoid looking my way.

"I want to take you to my special spot." She said as she took my hand in hers.

We drove in silence for a while until we came upon a hard to find access road that took us off the main road and onto a dirt path. We followed the path until it opened up into a huge field that faced Dulles airport.

She stopped the truck next to a set of trees and looked over at me, "I found this spot years ago. I love it because it is secluded and you can lay under the trees and watch as the huge planes take off and land from the airport."

She started to get out of the truck so I followed suit. I watched as she grabbed the blanket and basket and walked over to a set of trees. She spread the blanket out then sat down with the basket while patting the ground silently asking me to join her.

I took a seat next to her as she opened the basket and started to pull things out.

I smiled as I asked, "What is all this?"

She stopped what she was doing and gave me her full attention, "I wanted to take you out on a proper date. I know we can't go out in public right now so I thought sharing this place with you was the next best thing. Is this ok?"

I could see fear and vulnerability in her eyes and I wanted to ensure she knew just how much this meant to me, "This is perfect. I have honestly never gone on a picnic before. The weather is perfect and it is fascinating watching the planes. There is no other place I rather be at the moment."

She leaned over and kissed me hard before pulling away, "I'm glad you think so. I brought take out from the best Thai place in the city. Yes I know that isn't the usual picnic type food but I didn't have much to work with. I also brought a nice bottle of wine as I know you are quite the wine snob."

I was opening the food cartoons as Bo started to uncork the wine, "What type of wine did you bring for tonight?"

She laughed, "I think you'll love it. It's a Château Le Pin."

I stopped what I was doing and grabbed her hand stopping her from opening the bottle, "We can't drink that. That is a five thousand dollar bottle of wine."

She pulled her hand from mine and continued to open the bottle saying, "We can and we will. Nothing but the best for you my love. So please just enjoy it."

I was stunned for a moment until I saw her trying to hand me a wine glass. I took it from her and she filled my glass. I took a small sip as I watched her fill her glass as well.

We sat in comfortable silence as we ate Thai food, drank wine and watched different planes take off and land on different runways.

We finished our meal and I helped her put the empty bottle of wine back in the basket along with the glasses and empty food cartoons.

She laid back and tugged on my arm encouraging me to lay along with her as we looked at the sky and listened to the roaring of engines in the distance.

I sighed as I relaxed against her enjoying the warmth of her body, "This was wonderful Bo. Thank you so much."

I could hear the smile in her voice, "I had to take you on at least one proper date Lauren. I am so happy you enjoyed it."

I sensed she wanted to say more but was holding back, "I feel like there is something you want to say but you're not. You can tell me anything Bo. I hope you know that."

I felt her take a deep breath as if she was bracing herself and it made my muscles tense involuntarily, "If things go as we hope tomorrow morning I plan on returning to Langley by the afternoon."

I felt my stomach drop and my breath catch. I knew this was coming eventually but it always felt like it was somewhere off in the horizon just out of reach but always in view.

I managed to find my voice and I said just above a whisper, "So this is why we are doing this tonight." It was more of a statement than a question.

Bo placed two fingers under my chin and lifted my head so she could look me in the eyes, "It is not the only reason Lauren. Just one of many."

I could feel the tears forming and before I could hold them back they spilled over. I buried my head against her chest and I felt her move until she was laying on top of me. Bo leaned down and gently kissed my tears away before speaking, "Please don't cry. I want this to be a good memory."

I didn't trust my voice so I just nodded my head. She started to lay light kisses all over my face before pulling back and smiling.

Her smile morphed into a type of sexy smirk and she whispered, "Have you ever made love outside? Out in an open field under the stars?"

I couldn't say that I ever had. I was never one for sex out in open places even if it was dark and secluded but in the moment I didn't care.

I reigned in my tears as a half grin formed on my lips as I asked coyly, "Why do you ask?"

Bo never answered with words. She swept me up and we took each other over and over again until the late hours of the night.

Bo POV

Lauren decided not to go into the office today. I knew it was because she wanted to be with me before I walked back through the front doors of the agency. A part of me felt guilty that she was missing yet another day of work but the other part of me was happy she was by my side.

When Lauren and I showed up at Dyson's house, Tamsin and Kenzi were already there.

Dyson hung back in the garage while Lauren and Kenzi sat quietly in the living room.

Tamsin and I walked down the hall to confront Hansen and try to convince him to cut a deal. Lauren had said the attorney General needed hard proof. Tamsin and I were going to deliver Michael Hansen to his front door. At least that was the plan.

I leaned against the wall while Tamsin stood next to me. I let her take lead, "I met with your buddies last night Michael. They were not happy to hear that you were cutting a deal and hanging them out to dry."

He scoffed and tried to stand up as his anger showed through, "But I'm not cutting a deal!"

Tamsin laughed sardonically, "They don't know that. So while you sit here tied to a chair your friends are pinning all of this on you. They may get some jail time but once they make their deals and we let you go – all of this will be hung around your neck."

I looked at Tamsin as I said, "Well they haven't met with the AG yet. I mean if Michael here wants to change his mind I am sure we could get him over to the Justice Department to speak his peace before the others do."

Michael leaned back in the chair and relaxed his posture, "This is all just one big set up. I won't listen to it."

I let my anger rise as I rushed forward and grabbed him by the front of his shirt to pull him close to me. I spoke to him in a low tone that I hoped conveyed exactly how serious I was, "Make no mistake Mr. Hansen this is not a setup. We are giving you one last chance to come forward and possibly cut a deal. This is the best it is going to get. I could always kill you. Just like I killed the man that was following Senator Lewis or the man that you sent to kill Mr. Santiago. Kill you like the man you sent after Tamsin. Like the man you hired to kill the President."

I let go of his shirt as I slowly backed away. He was quiet for several minutes as he looked at the floor. He appeared to be deep in thought and I could only hope he was ready to turn state's evidence. I didn't dare look at Tamsin. I kept my eyes on Hansen and waited for his reply.

He looked up at me and then Tamsin before looking back to me again, "I'll make a deal. I have everything the AG will need to prosecute Director Long, Mr. LaGrone and even Vice President Hill."

I wanted to smile but I had one more thing that I needed Hansen to be very clear about, "There is one thing about this that is nonnegotiable. You will clear Colin Burnell's name. He had nothing to do with this but his name was burned thanks to you. You will make it right and before you argue just remember that time is against you. Any deal with the AG goes to the first one willing to play and I don't know if your co-conspirators have headed down that path yet."

Michael sighed in resignation though I could see the hesitation in his eyes, "Fine."

I nodded my head once and left the room with Tamsin right behind me. Once we were back in the living room I sat down next to Lauren as Tamsin spoke, "We turned him. Dyson and I will get him cleaned up and over to the Justice Department. Bo I know you have some other things you want to do?"

I looked at Kenzi and then Lauren, "Yeah. Thanks. Tell Dyson I said thank you as well."

Tamsin walked past us towards the garage calling back over her shoulder, "I'm going to fetch Dyson. He'll make sure Hansen doesn't try anything once we let him loose."

"We'll let ourselves out." I said and grabbed Lauren's hand as I stood up. Kenzi jumped up as well and trotted over to the door letting herself out.

Lauren and I were close behind and once we reached the truck Lauren spoke, "Are you sure you want to do this today Bo? I mean Director Long is still in position. Is it safe to go in before he is taken into custody? I mean what if this all blows up in our faces and he isn't taken into custody at all?"

This was something I had thought about as well and while Lauren was sleeping last night I made some calls and found out that Director Long was asked to step down while the allegations were hanging out in the open. I needed to clean up my mess with the CIA. The longer I stayed away the worse it would be. I had hoped that with the media storm that was already swirling about this conspiracy and then the evidence and confession from Hansen – none of these men would walk away from this.

I focused on the road but I took her hand in mine to reassure her as best I could, "I have faith that this will work out. Director Long will not be a free man for much longer. I made some calls last night and he was asked to step down while these allegations are investigated. I need to clean up this mess Lauren. It is mine to own up to." She didn't look convinced but she let it go.

Once we arrived at Langley I parked the truck and Lauren stepped out. I told her I would be just a moment as she shut the door. I turned to Kenzi who was sitting eerily quiet in the backseat.

"Do you understand why I am doing this?" I asked.

She looked up at me with tears in her eyes as she nodded her head. To see Kenzi cry was a rare sight and it broke my heart that I was the cause of it.

"I love you baby sister. Tell Hale I love him. Take care of yourself and get Hale back on his feet. Tell him if he hurts you I will kick his ass. Get out of that damn house and back to your life Kenzi. Thank you so much for everything you did. For putting your life on hold to help us. We honestly couldn't have done it without you but its time you went back to your own routine."

She moved forward in the seat and wrapped her arms around my neck as she whispered in my ear, "I love you too. Don't let them keep you ok? You did good here. Make sure they know that. Now get out of here before Hotpants drags you out."

I laughed as I returned the hug. I finally let her go and exited the truck. As I walked around the vehicle to meet Lauren I saw Kenzi hop out of the back and into the driver's seat. I hoped my truck survived.

Lauren was a few feet away. I could see how closed off she was. Her arms crossed over her chest as she looked at the ground and kicked the curb.

I hated being the one to bring this woman heart ache but if I could get myself free of this life it would be worth it to return to her free and clear. I would have limitless possibilities to look forward to in so many ways.

I grabbed her arm and pulled her into a tight embrace as I spoke to her softly, "Do you understand why Lauren?"

I felt her nod her head so I continued, "Have faith this will all work out and I will be back before you know it."

She leaned back but didn't move out of my embrace, "I just don't understand why you are doing this now and not waiting until the Director is taken in on charges. Just because he stepped down doesn't mean he won't come back if this doesn't work."

I understood her concern. I had started to wonder if I should wait but I knew the longer I did the harder it would be for me to walk away. It could take time before formal charges were brought forward. The longer I stayed away the worse it would be.

I wanted to try for everything with Lauren and I knew in order for that to even be possible the only thing I could do was be open and honest, "I am concerned as well and I am wondering if I should wait too but the more I think about holding off on this the harder it will be to do this. I also fear the longer I stay away the worse it will be once they get their hands on me."

I pulled her to me and kissed her softly. I tried to pour everything into the kiss that wouldn't form into words. I longed for her to feel it. It was desperate and full of need. She moaned as I nipped her bottom lip asking for entrance. She immediately complied and I deepened the kiss even further. The desperation faded as the kiss slowed to a gentle pace. She pulled back and rested her forehead against mine as we both tried to catch our breath.

I looked her in the eyes and confessed, "You have my heart."

I kissed her on the cheek and let her go. I could hear her starting to cry as I walked towards the entrance of the building. I kept my eyes on the doors and didn't look back.

I knew if I did I would never leave.

AN: Does Bo come back? Do Tamsin and Dyson get together? Is the conspiracy finally over? Epilogue to come to wrap up tiny lose ends and see what happens now that it is all said and done. If there are any gaping holes in the story please review or PM and let me know so I can wrap this up with nothing left undone!


	19. Epilogue

Thank you everyone for taking the time to read this story. It was been a great experience. A learning experience as well. Here is the epilogue I have been struggling with for two weeks. I hope it covers everything and wraps it up for you all. If I missed something or whatever – let me know! I can always add to it….that is what is so wonderful about FF.

 **Three weeks later**

Lauren POV

I was sipping at my coffee, staring out the window as I waited for everyone to arrive. We had started to make it a weekly thing to have breakfast together at this little diner on the edge of downtown DC. I was in the best of spirits today and I couldn't wait to share the news with the rest of the group.

I watched as Tamsin, Kenzi and Hale came barreling in through the front door, making an obscene amount of noise. They were looking around for me and I waved them over.

Once everyone was seated and placed their orders, I cleared my throat to get everyone's attention.

I couldn't conceal the smile that forced its way out, "I received a call from Bo early this morning."

I paused and waited for my words to sink in. Once they did, I was bombarded with questions from everyone at the table.

I put up my hand to settle everyone before I continued, "She said she was working hard to come back home, though she isn't sure when that will be. She is finishing up some work in Beirut and filling in the new CIA director on the events that transpired. It looks like she may also have to testify before the grand jury but that is still up in the air."

Tamsin's features turned serious as she asked, "She definitely said she would be coming back?"

"Yes." I said, curious as to why her mood shifted so suddenly.

Kenzi distracted me before I had time to put too much though into it.

"My reporter friend is being hounded by the government to provide the source of the information we leaked to her. They are saying that the federal government legally contends that there is no protection for journalists who conceal their sources. She isn't too worried about it though. The government has Hansen turning state's evidence and her lawyers are confident that is enough to appease them."

That was another piece of news I needed to share, "I have been summoned to testify. The Attorney General knows I was the one who found the discrepancies in the budget. He wants me before the grand jury next month," I looked at Kenzi, "at least it seems your friend will be in the clear."

Kenzi shook her head in disbelief, "This shit is so over but it just doesn't want to go away. I killed all my access into every database I hacked during this little operation of ours. Last thing I need is for someone to figure out what I was into and pull me into federal court proceedings. I am free and clear for the time being."

Tamsin rolled her eyes and scoffed, "Hale and Dyson haven't been dragged into it. I haven't either for that matter. Seems the only two people still stuck in this mess are Lauren and Bo."

They all looked at me and I suddenly had the urge to change the subject. I turned to Hale and asked, "How is the healing coming along? I just realized I haven't asked you how you're doing in almost a month."

Hale gave me that lazy, laid back smile, "I'm still a little sore but other than that – I couldn't be better. My woman takes good care of me."

Kenzi elbowed him in the side, "Damn right I do. Don't forget it buddy."

Before any further conversation could be started our waiter came over and laid out the feast we ordered for breakfast.

 **One month later**

Bo POV

I sat in the cab outside the diner watching my friends as they talked amongst themselves at the tiny corner table. I hadn't seen them in seven weeks and they were such a sight for sore eyes. I sent them all a text, asking that they meet here today. I had been able to keep tabs on them while I was away and I knew this was a typical go to spot for them. They didn't know the text was from me, so I knew they were probably more than a little confused. I wasn't trying to be secretive, I just wanted to surprise them.

I paid the cab fare and got out of the car. As I walked in the front door, Kenzi was the first to spot me. She leapt up from her seat next to Hale and rushed me like a linebacker. I was thrown back two steps when her little body collided with mine in a big crushing bear hug.

Her incredible strength caused me to lose my breath and I could feel the tears forming in my eyes. It was wonderful to hug my sister again. I now had the chance to make up for being so absent all these years.

Kenzi finally let me go and dragged me over to the table. I watched intently as Lauren rose from her seat and walked over until she was standing right in front of me.

The world melted away and the only thing that existed were hazel brown eyes, staring at me with such power I forgot how to breathe. I realized I was nervous. I hadn't seen her in almost two months and had only spoken to her once in that time. I was starting to think that our first opportunity to see each other again should have been in a private setting.

Before I knew what was happening, Lauren cupped my face with her hands as she pulled me into a fierce kiss. I wrapped my arms around her waist and tugged her closer. It was beautiful having her in my arms again. Feeling her lips against mine was indescribable.

We finally broke apart when Tamsin and Kenzi starting whistling and banging on the table.

Lauren took my hand and we sat down. She laced our fingers together and held her hand in mine. I savored the contact, and suddenly I wanted to drag her out of here and take her home for a proper reunion.

Tamsin was the first to lob a question at me, "Was it you that sent the mysterious text to meet here today?"

"Yeah. I wanted to surprise everyone. I missed all of you immensely."

Kenzi piped in, "Aww! We missed you too. So where've ya been? How much trouble are you in and what's the deal now?"

I laughed and decided to tackle her barrage of questions one at a time. "After it was deemed that I wasn't MIA for traitorous reasons, I was sent to Beirut to finish up my work there. I was at Langley for a bit as well to go over everything that transpired with the new director. In return, they helped close the DC Metro case that was pending for Keagan's death and helped me move the money I had offshore into an account here in the states. I'm not in any trouble but I will have to testify in front of the grand jury in a few days."

Lauren spoke up quietly, "Me too. I have a summons to appear in a few days as well. The AG told me he wants me to go over the discrepancies I found and the fact that I tried to point them out to Director Long and essentially was shut down."

I looked over at Tamsin, "I was told they want me to testify as to how I was involved and why. I'm sorry Tamsin but I may have to drag your name into it."

She waved her hand at me dismissively, "I figured I wouldn't be able to stay out of this. Be honest. It's the best way to keep ourselves from being charged with anything."

Hale asked, "What are the charges anyway?"

Lauren replied, "Treason, attempted murder, conspiracy, misappropriation among other things."

Kenzi drummed her fingers against the edge of the table, "I can't believe that Hansen was able to snag immunity in exchange for his testimony. I swear our legal system is fubar sometimes."

I couldn't agree more but I needed to look at the upside. "At least he's testifying and all this will be over soon. Well it will be for us barring any unforeseen issues. So we now have a new CIA director and the White House has sworn in a new Vice President and Chief of Staff. Things are getting back to normal."

Lauren brought up a very good point, "A grand jury is only there to investigate potential criminal conduct and to determine whether criminal charges should be brought. If they decide there is enough evidence for formal charges then everything will go to trial. This grand jury is only the beginning."

I leaned over kissing her on the cheek, I loved it when she got all authoritative.

I was done talking about the serious stuff. I wanted to hear how my friends had been faring. "So what has everyone been up to while I've been gone?"

Kenzi jumped right in as I knew she would, "Just the best stuff ever! Hale, being the wonderful logistical man he is, has helped expand my business to the point where I have employees! Hale handles the management side of things while I get to focus on the technical stuff. I never thought my company would grow to where it is right now and this is just a start."

I was impressed and so very proud of my sister. I knew the sky was the limit for her. "So Hale are you back in your old apartment?"

He laughed, "Oh hell no. I couldn't go back there. I moved into a unit in the same building as Kenzi. I have been focused on her and her business for the past few months. My wounds have healed and I couldn't be better. I gotta say, you coming to me that day for help actually changed my life for the better."

That was the Hale I knew and loved. He was always in good spirits, taking a bad situation and turning it into something good. I couldn't think of a better man for my sister.

Tamsin chimed in, "I'm still an NSA analyst in case you were wondering."

I laughed as it was typical sarcastic Tamsin. "I figured as much," I gave her a knowing smile, "what's up with you and Dyson?"

She scoffed at my question but I could see a smile tugging at her lips, "Yeah I know you all think I'm the fifth wheel. Dyson's a friend but that's all he will ever be. I'm glad I got to see him again but there isn't a future there." As an afterthought she threw in, "I have been seeing someone though."

Kenzi almost spit out her coffee, "What?! Why am I just hearing about this now?"

Tamsin smirked at her, "Because it's still new and there was no way I was subjecting him to you guys so soon in the relationship. He lives in my apartment building. I met him while getting the mail. How cliché is that? Anyway his name is Jonathan. He is an architect at BPK and maybe I'll let you guys meet him."

I couldn't help but smile. Life seemed to be clicking for all the people I loved in my life. "I'm happy for you." I said.

Tamsin turned it around on me, "So what is next for you now that you're out of the agency?"

I had been giving that a lot of thought but was still a bit undecided. I had some ideas but wanted to discuss them with Lauren first. "Well I was thinking maybe a job over at the NSA. I was also thinking about applying for the DC Metro police or Quantico. I'm just not sure yet. I wanted to talk that over with Lauren first. Besides I want to take my lady on a month long vacation to any tropical island. We can lounge on the beach all day, make love all night and drink all sorts of fruity cocktails with cute little umbrellas."

Lauren gave me a stunned look while Kenzi reached over and smacked my arm, "You're not a fruity drink kind of girl! I swear you people are springing all this new shit on me! Secret boyfriends," she glared at Tamsin, "and my sister going all soft on me!"

I leaned into Lauren's side and whispered in her ear, "Are you alright? You're so quiet."

She gave me a reassuring smile and nodded her head. I took that as my hint to get us out of here and alone so we could talk properly.

I stood up bringing Lauren with me, "If you all will excuse us. I need some alone time with Lauren." I looked over at her to see if she would object. I saw nothing but support for that idea.

 **Six months later**

Lauren POV

Bo was in the bedroom unpacking the last of her things. We finally decided to take the leap and move in together. She had been living in that old run down safe house she and Tamsin had set up so long ago. They cleared out all the weapons and tech they had stored there and sold the house. I was happy to see it go. It was a constant reminder of the ordeal we went through.

We did take that tropical vacation Bo spontaneously shared with the group so many months ago. After we both testified before the grand jury, we jumped on plane and toured the islands of Tahiti for six weeks. It was a wonderful experience. We were able to reconnect on every level and then some.

Bo had her name legally changed to the one she was using as an alias when this whole thing began. I was against it but she wanted the new name with the fresh start. She still had that driving need to protect people and correct the injustices in the world. We had many discussions regarding her career plans for the future. I was dead set against her applying for the DC police department or the FBI. I didn't want her carrying a gun anymore and putting her life in danger. She understood and respected my concerns.

She had finally finished the last of the vetting process to join Tamsin in the Intelligence Analysis field of the NSA. She would sit at a desk, write reports, and plan logistical aspects of government operations, none of which required firearms of any kind.

The grand jury decided to indict Robert Long, Chris Hill and Mark LaGrone. The trial is ongoing but I don't believe they'll ever see the light of day again. Michael Hansen is under federal protection as there had been many threats against his life. He may be free but his life is over. I don't see him coming back from this and doing anything worthwhile. RNC lost its government contracts and finally had to close their doors. The gentleman involved in this scheme from Trident Oil and CYTA Oil and Gas were not going to face any charges. They technically hadn't participated in the conspiracy, as we never let it get that far. Regardless their stock prices plummeted when the news broke of their possible involvement.

The assets at the Iranian office of RNC were never brought up on any charges. There wasn't any evidence that they did anything against the law. They had limited knowledge of the entire thing and were never 'activated'. One asset was to be placed with the Iranian Prime Minister and the other was to latch on to the Iranian member of OPEC. It didn't seem these assets really knew the extent of what was being asked of them.

Bo's testimony for the grand jury did indeed end up involving Tamsin. The three of us were now waiting for our time to testify in federal court.

I felt arms wrap around my waist from behind as my neck was peppered with kisses, "What are you doing in here Lauren? I can hear you thinking all the way back in the bedroom."

I turned in her arms, giving her a peck on the lips, "Nothing really. Just reflecting on everything."

She smiled that smile that was only reserved for me, "You need to be reflecting on your re-election campaign my dear Senator Lewis."

I playfully rolled my eyes in mock exasperation, "I know and I will! I have high hopes."

"You know what I have high hopes for?" She asked in the most seductive way.

I feigned ignorance, "I have no idea."

She pulled away from me and grabbed my hand, "Follow me to the bedroom and find out!"


End file.
